Dead End Angels
by Mamushi
Summary: SLASH (JW). Reincarnation fic-everyone's alive and well in the present-ish and all that fun crap. Set in a high school setting.
1. And the Hero Will Drown

_Disclaimer_: Sadly, I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. If I did, then Will would've jumped in after Jack like any normal person. ...And Elizabeth would have a new pet monkey. 'Dead End Angels' is a Bohren und der Club of Gore song. 'And the Hero Will Drown' is a Story of the Year song. (Yep, all my chapter titles are gonna be song titles.) I do own Port Whisk. ^__^ And Neo-Jack's gothy-punk appearance, so nyaa!  
_Summary_: SLASH. Set in a high school setting. Reincarnation fic--everyone's alive and well in the present-ish and all that fun crap. Bah.  
  
_Pairing_: Jack/Will  
_Rating_: G-R (for language...obviously not in this chapter)  
  
_Warnings for this chapter_: None, really. Short? It's short. There's your warning. ...Slash. That's your final warning.  
  
_AN_: This is one of those weird plot dust bunnies that like to hide under my couch (a dust bunny I'm blaming on 'The Mad Fangirl' and her 'Taxes' series for the whole reincarnation bit...shame on you. Cookie?). @.@ Never let me draw a goth boy doodle while staring at a Jack Sparrow desktop.  
  
_Note to FF.n readers_: For those of wondering why I haven't updated _Crimson Ways_ as of yet, this story was nagging at me to be written. I'm now working on part seventeen of _Crimson Ways_. And for those of you who read this part of this story when it was labeled 'untitled,' it is different. Little details, but still better than before.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
And the Hero Will Drown_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Six months had passed since Jack's fall to freedom; Elizabeth had become the new Mrs. Norrington, and Jack made a brief appearance at Port Royal. The following year was littered by Jack's visits to a certain blacksmith, of which the commodore was conveniently unaware of when questioned. It was after that year that Will had requested that Jack give up his pirating tendencies and stay with him.   
  
Jack had given it much consideration and decided that he loved Will enough to do as he asked. But first, he had to tie up a few loose ends elsewhere. Will insisted it was unnecessary, that Annamaria and Gibbs could easily cover for him, but Jack insisted that it had to be him. Perhaps Will was worrying too much, but he still felt uncomfortable letting the pirate go this time. Jack had shortened his estimated time away to just a few weeks to help ease Will's mind, though it did not help all too much.   
  
On the docks, the said their goodbyes.   
  
Will hugged Jack, not wanting to let go. 'I'm afraid you'll never come back.'   
  
'No matter what,' Jack swore, 'I'll always come back to you. This I promise.' He placed a tender kiss on Will's lips. 'Until we meet again.' Those were his last words to Will that day.   
  
The weeks passed, and there was no sign of Jack or the Black Pearl. Two months had gone by before the news had reached Will of the violent storm that claimed the Black Pearl and her crew.   
  
By the year's end, Will had taken ill and eventually passed away.   
  


~Almost 300 years later...~

  
  
It was the dawn of a new millennium, and the Y2K bug was a joke plastered onto the fax machines of the late 90s in the form of 'Y2K compliant' stickers. Everyone partied like it was 1999 and then some. But the craze had passed, as did the summer that followed, and a new school year was to begin.   
  
On the East Coast, in the state of Massachusetts, was a port town called Port Whisk. It was a quaint little town with three schools: An elementary, a junior high, and a high school. The town had been slowly growing over the years, and plans were being made to expand the schools. The school with the largest student population of over a thousand students was Whisk High, loving called 'Whiskey' High by the students and half the faculty. It was here that two friends would be spending their senior year.   
  
William Turner lived with his mother and father in a bi-level house just off the docks. Fortunately, it was only a couple of blocks from the school, so he didn't have to worry about gas or taking the bus.   
  
His best friend, Elizabeth Swann, lived on the west side of town. They had met in kindergarten and hit it right off. Elizabeth's father was the mayor, and she had grown up accustom to some of the finer things in life. She was one of the more popular girls in school, but she tried not to let it go to her head.   
  
It was the first day back to school, and Will was filled with an anticipation like no other. He thought it might have been because it was the first day of his last year in public school. Little did he know, it went much deeper than that. A promise made long ago was about to be fulfilled. Though, due to Fate having a difficult personality, and a twisted sense of humor, it would take a while before any of the parties involved would know what was going on.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: See? Beginning is much better. You may now proceed to the next (and much longer) chapter. 


	2. Possibly Maybe

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Possibly Maybe' is a Bjork song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Pointless Will torture. General introduction-type stuff. No Jack/Will interaction.  
  
_AN_: This chapter was finished, then decided to write itself longer. Then a little longer. And the fact that Elizabeth's car is what it is...has nothing to do with the fact that I want one.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Possibly Maybe_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Will sat outside the school waiting for Elizabeth to be dropped off by her father. He didn't have to wait too long before he felt a tap on his shoulder. He craned his neck to see who it was, but no one was there. From the other side, he heard Elizabeth giggle. He turned to give her a half-hearted glare. 'Where were you?' he asked as he stood up.   
  
'_I_ just got a new car!' she exclaimed triumphantly. 'It's new, it's pretty, and it's _red_!'   
  
'So it matches half your wardrobe.'   
  
'Ha-ha, very funny. Just for that remark, I won't let you test-drive it,' she chided him.   
  
'Oh, yes, poor me. I'll find some way to live,' he replied. 'Come on. Let's get our schedules.'   
  
'Lead the way, Oh Great One.'   
  
They shared a laugh and entered the school.   
  
Elsewhere on the campus, a little black convertible with red interior pulled into the student parking lot. The young man driving the car got out and grabbed his backpack (held together by duct tape and safety pins) from the back seat and sauntered towards the school. On his way, he earned looks from every other student and teacher that saw him. It might have been the fact that he wore all black, or that he wore a collar with a bell on his neck, or even the eyeliner he had stolen from his mother. Chances were greater that it was a combination of all three. In any case, he was used to the lingering stares, but even he had to admit that having _everyone_ stare at him was unnerving.   
  
Upon entering the school, he casually wandered around, looking for the main office. He must have passed it at least three times before he asked a freshman for directions. The freshman must have been to afraid to answer, for she merely pointed across the hall to the open door of the office. He thanked her and entered the office.   
  
'May I help you?' the receptionist asked.   
  
'Would you? This is my first day here and I need everything that I...well, need,' he replied, leaning on the counter.   
  
'And you're name is...?'   
  
'Jack. Sparrow. Spelled like the bird.'   
  
The receptionist typed away on her keyboard, then looked up at Jack. 'Give me just a minute and I'll have your schedule printed up for you. You'll be sharing a locker, so I'll get you your number and combo.'   
  
'Great! Can I get a map, too?'   
  
She looked in one of the drawers beside her and pulled out a map of the school. 'There you are, and here's your locker and combination--don't lose it--and your schedule,' she said, handing Jack the papers.   
  
'Thank you,' he said gratefully, backing out of the office.   
  
He went straight to the senior locker bay--or so he thought. He realized his map was upside down, and backtracked to finally find his locker. His locker mate was already there with the locker open. She had dark skin and her hair was in multiple braids, pulled back into a low ponytail. 'Hi, there! Name's Jack.'   
  
The girl looked at him as if she were measuring him up. 'Hi,' she replied before going back to decorating the inside of the locker.   
  
'We're sharing a locker,' Jack said, pointing to the sheet of paper that had the locker number and combination printed on it.   
  
The girl turned back to him, looking slightly friendlier than before. 'Oh, good!' She reached on the top shelf of the locker and pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to him. 'That's your new locker. This one.' She patted the second locker to her left.   
  
'Already making life decisions for me, and I don't even know your name,' he said with a flirtatious grin.   
  
'Don't even try.'   
  
'I'm not trying. I told you my name--it's only fair you tell me yours. Be nice to the new kid.'   
  
She gave an annoyed sigh then looked at Jack. She wanted to tell him to just fuck off and bother someone else, but those dark eyes and winning smile convinced her otherwise. 'Anna. And I'm not pleased to meet you.'   
  
'Fair enough.'   
  
'Goodbye.' She slammed the locker door and went off to her class.   
  
There was something familiar about Anna that Jack couldn't quite put his finger on. He didn't give it another thought and headed off to where he thought his first class was. He took his sweet time, planning on using the fact that he was new as an excuse. The first few classes were uneventful, and by lunch, he had gotten bored and left--he'd try the second half tomorrow.   
  
Will opened his locker and dumped his books on the bottom. He looked up to see something white hanging from one of the hooks in the locker. He bent closer to get a better look at it. From the hook, a white tampon with a turquoise stung hung innocently. He closed the door, and glared at the two girls trying to suppress their laughter next to him.   
  
'It was Anna's idea!' Elizabeth said in-between giggles.   
  
'Yea, but it was Lizzie's tampon.'   
  
'I _really_ didn't need to know that,' Will said. 'It had better be out of there by next passing period.'   
  
'You should leave it there for your new locker mate,' Anna said. 'Then again, I think he'd like that.'   
  
'Who?' He knew Lizzie and Anna recently decided to share a locker this year. 'Feminine reasons' as they put it. But what he didn't know was that Anna was already sharing a locker with someone else for Lizzie to trade with.   
  
'Some freak,' she replied. 'He was wearing all black and earrings.'   
  
'Doesn't sound that bad,' Will said, not understanding what Anna was getting at.   
  
'Will, he had on eyeliner and a collar with a...a jingley bell on his neck. That's not normal,' she said with a face. 'Come to think of it, I think I heard him looming in the back of one or two of my classes,' she added.   
  
'_I_ think he sounds interesting,' Lizzie interjected.   
  
'You would,' Anna commented under her breath.   
  
The bell rang for the five minute warning, and the group dispersed. Anna to her class, and Will and Lizzie to theirs.   
  
After school, Anna and Will followed Lizzie to her new car. It was a shiny, red Jeep Wrangler. She had insisted on giving them rides home, though convincing Will to trust her driving skills took a little bit of work. She dropped Anna off at her house first, then went to Will's to do her homework with him.   
  
'I can't believe he gave us homework on the first day back!' Lizzie vented as she took out her English book and set it on the kitchen table. 'And not just easy "have your parents sign this" homework, but _real_ homework! What was he on?!'   
  
Will laughed at her frustration as he sifted through the cupboard for something edible. 'Some teachers think their students are professional, competent individuals, so they trust us to act as such and do our duty.'   
  
'No, it's _that_ teacher and he does it just to spite me.' She opened her book to the first chapter and skimmed through it. 'I already know this!'   
  
'It's called a "review." You know, like how every math book begins with one plus one,' he replied with a smirk as he set a bag of chips in the middle of the table.   
  
'I know what's it called, but unlike you, and the rest of society, _I_ am not a parrot.'   
  
'Maybe not, but you sound like one.'   
  
'Do not! Take that back!' she said as she threw a chip at him.   
  
Will counterattacked by tossing a crumpled piece of paper at her. 'But it's true.'   
  
'Children...,' a warning voice said.   
  
They looked to see Will's mother standing in the doorway with a disapproving look on her face. 'Sorry, Mom,' Will apologized. 'I promise we'll clean up.'   
  
'Hello, Mrs. Turner,' Lizzie greeted.   
  
'Hello, Elizabeth. It's always a pleasure to have you over. How is your father?' Mrs. Turner asked, setting her gardening gloves next to the sink.   
  
'He was doing alright the last time I checked, thank you.'   
  
'That's good. Will, be a dear and, sometime today, throw away the weeds that _I_ just pulled.'   
  
Will looked at his mother with a mixed expression of shock and guilt. 'I'm so sorry! I completely forgot.'   
  
'I asked you on Friday, and you had all of Saturday and Sunday to weed the garden.'   
  
'I'll get it right now if you want,' he offered.   
  
'No. Homework first, chores later,' she said pointedly as she left the kitchen.   
  
Will put his head on the table and groaned. 'I didn't mean to forget. I just forgot.'   
  
'It's OK,' Lizzie said reassuringly. 'I always forget to do things.'   
  
'That's because you're spoiled. I don't have that excuse.'   
  
'I'm not spoiled.'   
  
'Who bought your car?' Will asked with a knowing grin.   
  
'It was a sweet sixteen present,' she said defensively.   
  
'Kind of belated and off by more than a month,' he pointed out.   
  
'Daddy didn't wanna drive me to school everyday. Better?'   
  
'Only spoiled princesses call their dads "daddy."'   
  
'Oh, shut up and give me the answers to the homework.'   
  
Will sighed and opened his own book. He looked over the questions and then gave Lizzie a 'you've got to be kidding' look. 'Why can't you answer them yourself? They're easy enough that even /you/ don't need help.'   
  
'I'm a spoiled princess, remember? I need everything handed to me on a silver platter,' she said dismissively.   
  
'So you admit it.'   
  
'So what?'   
  
'The first step is always admitting you have a problem.'   
  
'Then I'll stay in denial, thank you. Being spoiled is a problem I'd like to keep,' she said, waving her pen in the air. 'You should try it.'   
  
'Can't. In case you haven't noticed, my parents aren't rich like yours, and I'm not a girl, so I can't mooch off of a rich and stupid boyfriend.'   
  
'Then be gay and find yourself a rich, gay boyfriend.' After a moment, she added 'And Sam's not stupid!'   
  
Will raised an eyebrow at Lizzie. 'But if I do that, then my mother will expect me to have a good fashion sense.'   
  
'Just dress like the guys from _Queer as Folk_ and you're good to go,' Lizzie said.   
  
'Knowing you, you'd expect me to adopt Emmit's wardrobe. I don't think I'm gay enough to pull that off. Sorry.'   
  
Lizzie pouted. 'But he's a cute sweetheart, like you. And he's gay, like you. See? Two things you already have in common.'   
  
'I'm not gay.'   
  
'The first step is admitting you have a problem,' she parroted with an evil smirk.   
  
'But I--ooh...' He was screwed no matter what he answered. If he said he was, then he'd be admitting he was gay (not that he was or wasn't, he was just never really interested either way). And if he said he wasn't, then he'd be in denial according to what Lizzie had just said. 'No comment.' _That should be safe enough,_ he thought to himself.   
  
'But inquiring minds want to know,' she pressed, sticking her pen in Will's face like a microphone.   
  
'Find me a rich boyfriend that isn't interested in sex to mooch off of, then I'll consider it,' he replied.   
  
'Boo. Bad answer.' She hunched over her book and began writing out the answers to the homework. She looked back up at Will on the middle of an answer and said 'Alright. I'm up to that challenge.'   
  
Will nearly choked on his chip. 'What?!'   
  
'I'm going to find you a boyfriend.'   
  
He stopped gagging and looked Lizzie in the eye. 'I don't want one! And I'd probably get kicked out of the house if I did!' _What the Hell is she up to?!_   
  
'So that's why you're in the closet,' Lizzie exclaimed. 'You're afraid of being kicked out.'   
  
'Yes, wait. What? No!'   
  
'It's completely understandable, but it'd be a lot easier if you came out sooner instead of later.'   
  
'I'm not in any sort of closet!'   
  
'My poor, closeted, misunderstood friend. Your family will still love you if you're a homosexual.'   
  
'Who's a homosexual?' Mrs. Turner asked upon reentering the kitchen. 'Will?'   
  
'Lizzie's tripping something. Ignore her,' Will said flatly.   
  
'Mrs. Turner, would you still love your son if he were gay?'   
  
She was taken aback by the brashness of the question, but answered with a smile anyway. 'Well, yes. He _is_ my son, and though I'd disappointed that I wouldn't have any grandchildren, he could always adopt or something,' she said as she leaned over and gave her son a quick hug.   
  
'Not you too! I'm not gay!'   
  
'Just admit it and get it over with,' Lizzie said.   
  
Mrs. Turner laughed as she left the kitchen, but she seriously began to wonder about her son. His best friend was female, he'd never had a steady relationship with a girl, and he always had Lizzie tape that one show for him.   
  
'I think you take some sick pleasure out of tormenting me.'   
  
'But I still love you,' Lizzie said in complete honesty. 'Even if you are gay.'   
  
'I'm not!'   
  
'Keep telling yourself that.'   
  
'I will.'   
  
'Oh! Look at the time,' Lizzie said when she noticed the clock on the wall. 'I have a date with Sam tonight. I gotta go get ready.' She piled her things back into her bookbag and lifted it over her shoulder. 'See you tomorrow!' she called as she darted out the kitchen door and to her car.   
  
Will sunk further into the chair. Lizzie made some good points; now he'd be contemplating his sexuality for the rest of the day and most of the next. _Someone needs to take that girl's cable away..._   
  


~Elsewhere, in the an apartment complex on the south side of town.~

  
  
Jack was lying on the beat up couch with his legs propped up over one of the worn arms, watching public television. There was something mesmerizing about Po and her little giggle. The phone rang and he reached for the phone resting atop the stack of boxes closest to him. After a couple more rings, he finally got a hold of it. 'Aye?'   
  
'Oh, good! You're home,' a woman's voice said.   
  
'Why wouldn't I be home?'   
  
'You've never been home on time before. What time did school get out?'   
  
'Two? One? Maybe three.'   
  
'Did you even go?'   
  
'Stayed 'til lunch. Does that count?'   
  
'Jack...'   
  
'Don't worry. I'll pass.'   
  
'Is that before or after you get expelled?'   
  
'I hopin' for before. Otherwise, I'll just get my GED.'   
  
The woman sighed. 'At least make an effort this time.'   
  
'Sure. When do you need me to pick you up?'   
  
'You don't have to worry about that. Someone offered me a ride.'   
  
'That's nice.'   
  
'Look, before I lose you completely to T.V. Land, do me a favor and hook up the answering machine. And don't put anything rude or obscene on it,' she instructed.   
  
'Gotcha. When're we getting cable? Satellite. Anything. Tinkywinky's only so entertaining.'   
  
'You want it? You pay for it.'   
  
'Yeah, whatever. Bye, Mom.'   
  
'Bye. And don't forget to unpack the dishes!'   
  
Jack did his best to not knock the phone off of its precarious perch while hanging it up. He watched the television for a bit longer before getting so bored of it that he had to get up and do something else.   
  
He rummaged around the boxes, looking for one marked either 'kitchen' or 'dishes.' He found one behind the couch and proceeded to strip off the tape to see if it was the right one. It was a treasure trove of newspaper wrapped dishes and utensils. He picked up the box and took it into the kitchen where he set it on the table and sat down. He began unwrapping the plates, but was easily sidetracked by the old comics and various articles. Eventually, he had a pile of dishes and a pile of semi-crumpled newpapers. He managed to find all the pieces to the Sunday comics, so he was content as he took the comics back to the couch with him.   
  
Hours later, Jack's mother came home to find him lazing about on the couch. Her hair was a dark auburn, much like Jack's, and her eyes were a greenish-brown. 'Have you moved from that spot since I called you?' she asked tiredly, setting her purse on one of the boxes.   
  
'I unpacked the dishes,' he replied, 'like you asked.'   
  
'But did you put them away?'   
  
'You never said to put them anywhere,' he pointed out.   
  
'That's because it's common sense. You used to have a lot of it. What happened?'   
  
'Jetlag,' he said with a smirk.   
  
His mother rolled her eyes and maneuvered her way around the boxes scattered throughout the apartment. 'You should take your boxes to your room,' she said to him. 'Especially if you're not going to be attending school this year.'   
  
'I'm attending.' He stood and retrieved one of the boxes. 'Just not religiously,' he added as he followed the hall to the smaller of the two bedrooms.   
  
'I know I'm supposed to care, but you're old enough to look after yourself. And as long as you graduate this year, I won't complain,' she said, mostly to herself.   
  
'Don't worry about it,' Jack replied with a smile. 'I'll pass.'   
  
'If you don't, I'm going to have to kick you out and let you fend for yourself.'   
  
'Deal.' He turned over a few boxes until he found another one with his name on it and took it to his room.   
  
The rest of the night at the Sparrow residence was spent moving boxes to the appropriate rooms and general unpacking. 

_AN II_: Dunno when then next chapter will be finished. 


	3. Pretty Eyes

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Pretty Eyes' is a Cranberries song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Not much. Naughty language. Also, I apparently can't stress enough that this story is **SLASH**. Don't like, don't read, and above all: Don't complain if you do. I didn't force you to read this.  
  
_AN_: All written in one day. First half at work, second half late at night while listening to the Kill Bill OST. So that might explain something.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Pretty Eyes_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Will groggily turned the dial on his locker. After a few tries, he got it open. Elizabeth and Anna's little prank was still hanging innocently from the hook. He glared at it as if it were infected with a vicious disease such as cooties and made a note to kill the two girls later. He would borrow a boat and dump the bodies in the middle of the ocean. No one would be the wiser.   
  
'Hey, Will!'   
  
Will slammed the locker door and turned to whoever called his name. 'Hello, Elizabeth,' he politely replied.   
  
She faltered for a moment, then put on an apologetic smile. 'You're still mad about yesterday? Look, I'm sorry. I was just teasing is all.'   
  
'Last night was Hell for me because of you,' he snapped icily at her.   
  
'Oh. Family talk, huh?'   
  
Will laughed mirthlessly as he and Elizabeth walked to their class. 'You have no idea.'   
  
'You wanna talk about it?'   
  
'Not particularly,' he replied. 'It was creepy. That's all you need to know.'   
  
The classroom was empty when they entered it, so Elizabeth jumped him with a hug. 'I'm so sorry! Really, Will. Please don't hate me.'   
  
Will pried her off of himself. 'It's OK. I don't hate you. It wasn't even all that bad,' he assured her. 'Just weird.'   
  
Elizabeth nodded as they took their seats. 'Sort of like when my dad asked me if I was a lesbian once--even though I was already going out with Sam.'   
  
'Yea, I remember you bitching about it the next day. I guess you can say it was like that,' he said, forgiving her slightly.   
  
The other students slowly sifted into the classroom, eventually followed by the teacher, Ms. Giselle Langford. She was easily one of the students' favorite teachers. She was in her early thirties and had flaming red hair, a voluptuous figure, and a personality to match her hair. No matter how strict and overbearing she was the students loved her all the same. She taught Mass Media, Drama, and some of the English classes; at the moment, she was teaching Mass Media.   
  
The class passed by quickly with everyone arguing about HBO and Showtime and which was better. The next class Will had was spent with Anna, and the next with Elizabeth again. Finally, lunch came and Will spent it staring at his soda while he mulled over what had happened the night before.   
  


~The night before.~

  
  
Will sat in an armchair in the living room, quietly reading a book when his father came home later in the evening. About ten minutes later, both his mother and father came into the living room and sat on the couch, and his mother beckoned him to join them. Will raised a suspicious brow at them, but sat between them nonetheless.   
  
'Will,' his mother asked, 'is there something you wanted to tell us?'   
  
'Not that I know of. Why?'   
  
'In the kitchen today--'   
  
'You're not serious, are you?!' he interrupted. 'You know you can't believe a word Lizzie says.'   
  
'Honey, we just want you to know that no matter what you choose, we'll still love you just as must,' she said with sincerity.   
  
Will groaned and sunk further into the couch. 'But I'm not gay.'   
  
'Will, how many of your friends are girls, and how many are guys?' his father asked. 'We always knew you were different.'   
  
'But I've had girlfriends, doesn't that count?'   
  
'And how many of those relationships last over a week?'   
  
'That's because they were all picky and mooched off of me, and I don't do mooching,' Will explained as he crossed his arms.   
  
'Just remember, your father and I will always be here for you with open arms,' his mother said, giving him a hug and placing a kiss on his head.   
  
'That's right,' his father agreed as he squeezed Will's shoulder reassuringly.   
  
_I'm going to kill her... Slowly, painfully kill her,_ he thought to himself. He stood and excused himself. 'I'm going to bed now. Nite.'   
  
'Goodnight, Sweetie. Pleasant dreams.'   
  


~Back in the present.~

  
  
Jack opened his new locker. He looked through his bag and pulled out his scotch tape and a handful of pictures. As he began sticking the various photos and clippings, he noticed the little white cylinder hanging from a hook. He looked around to see who else was around, and with a shrug and mischievous grin, he reached into his bag and pulled out a red Sharpie. He grabbed the tampon and drew a big smiley on it, then replace it on it's hook. Satisfied, he went back to his decorating. When he finished, he closed the door and went to his class early with a smug grin.   
  
Will arrived at the locker, Elizabeth and Anna were following him, lagging behind due to their gabbing and laughing. He opened the locker door to see it completely decorated. The next thing to catch his eye was the tampon, still hanging around. This time, it had a badly drawn smiley face in red. He glared at Anna and Elizabeth. 'I thought I told you to get rid of that thing.'   
  
Anna looked over his shoulder. 'Why did you give it a smile? Got bored or something?' she asked.   
  
'_I_ didn't do it. I thought _you_ did it.'   
  
Elizabeth was examining the locker door, adoring the various pictures taped there. 'Who's that?' she asked, pointing to a picture of a man with fluffed out hair. 'He's cute.'   
  
Anna took a look at the picture and answered. 'That's Robert Smith from The Cure, British band. ...They did "Friday I'm in Love."'   
  
Realization dawned on Elizabeth. 'Oh! I like that song,' she said.   
  
'He's wearing makeup,' Will commented.   
  
'Just like your locker partner,' Anna added. 'Lucky you. You got stuck with one of those Goth freaks.'   
  
'Whatever. Will one of you just get rid of that damned tampon? It's gonna give me nightmares.'   
  
'Fine. Baby.' Elizabeth yanked it out of the locker and tossed it in a nearby trashcan. 'Better?'   
  
'Yes. Much better.'   
  
'Well, have fun at class. Bye!' Elizabeth waved to him as she and Anna left.   
  
Will and Elizabeth were of the last to class. It was English with Ms. Langford, and she had developed a headache, so she had them read silently for the period. Throughout the period, Will couldn't help but feel like someone was staring at him. He shrugged it off as paranoia, which he felt he had Elizabeth to blame for. Afterwards, Will went back to his locker to drop off his book and pick up the next, and Elizabeth went to her next class. It was his free period, so he was in no hurry to get anywhere. Just as he was closing the locker door, a hand reached by and stopped it. Will looked over to see black-rimmed eyes looking back at him, startling him.   
  
'You look familiar,' Jack said. 'Have we dated?'   
  
Will was caught off guard by the question, and stared at Jack in confusion. 'I've never met you...'   
  
'Then it's about time you did. Jack Sparrow, but you can call me "yours."' He added the last part so quickly and quietly, Will didn't catch it. 'I'm your locker buddy.'   
  
'Oh. Oh, yeah. The guy with the eyeliner. Anna warned me about you.'   
  
Will looked Jack up and down. He wore black boots, loose fitting, black jeans, a black hoodie with a black shirt underneath, and a dark red collar with a jingle bell attached on the front that rang with his every movement. His dark auburn hair framed his face; on the right was a chin length braid, and on the left was a lock of hair that Will assumed he was growing out to match the braid on the right. His mouth was in a playful grin, and his eyes sparkled with mischievous glory, outlined with the smudged black makeup.   
  
Jack raised his hands in front of himself defensively. 'Warned you? You make me sound like a disease. I'm not _that_ bad. Really.'   
  
Will watched, hypnotized, as Jack spoke with more than just his voice. He used his whole body when talking, placing this hand there, the other there, eyes to the side and back, and swaying like a snake about to strike. Will blinked and shook his head free of Jack's intoxicating dance. 'I gotta uh...' _Get to class? No. Go home? No._ 'I gotta go this way now. Nice to meet you. Bye.' He closed the locker, then turned and walked in the opposite direction of Jack.   
  
Jack followed him anyway. 'Won't you tell me your name at least?' he asked when he caught up.   
  
'William,' he replied with a side-glance. Jack was right next to him, still grinning that unnerving grin. It was unnerving in the way that Will could have sworn he'd seen that smile somewhere before. It sat in the back of his mind, waiting to be identified, yet no matter how hard he tried, it remained intangible.   
  
'William's to long; I'll call you "Will" for short,' Jack decided aloud. 'K with you?'   
  
Will looked to the ground. He wanted to say 'no,' but he rather liked Jack calling him by his nickname. So, instead, he nodded. He looked around the hall for an excuse to be alone, but none was to be found. He settled for straight forwardness instead. He stopped and turned to face Jack. 'Jack, was it?'   
  
'Yep.' Jack smiled brightly at the fact that Will remembered his name.   
  
'Can you leave me alone?' Will felt guilty when Jack's face dropped. He didn't mean to hurt his feelings. He just didn't want to be around Jack anymore--he was reminding him too much of last night's discussion with his parents. Jack was too pretty for his own good, and it was beginning to creep Will out. 'Er... I mean for right now. I want to be alone. It's not you. Honest.'   
  
Jack narrowed his eyes at Will. He'd heard that line _many_ times before. 'Of course it isn't. It's _never_ me,' he retorted then turned and stalked off.   
  
'Wait, I...'   
  
But it was too late. Jack had already turned the corner and was out of sight. The guilt built up in the pit of Will's stomach, and, strangely enough, he was beginning to miss Jack's presence. He didn't know if he was going to regret it later, but he went to follow Jack. He turned the corner, but there was no sign of Jack. He walked down the hallway, looking for where Jack could have run off to. He reached the end, and the only option left was the outside. He opened the door and walked out a few steps. A voice behind him startled him.   
  
'Miss me?' Jack smirked as Will jumped. 'It's just a boy in makeup. Nothing to be scared of.'   
  
'You didn't scare me. I just wasn't expecting you to be there,' Will said, taking a step towards Jack.   
  
'Right...' Jack reached into the front pocket of his hoodie and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Selecting one, he pulled a lighter from his jeans pocket. He proceeded to light the cigarette and blow out a stream of smoke. He looked up at Will, who was a good inch taller than him--despite the fact that he was wearing boots. 'I'm sorry. I'd offer you one, but you're a minor.'   
  
'What? I don't smoke, and you shouldn't either.'   
  
'Bad for my health right?' Jack said mockingly, blowing smoke in Will's direction.   
  
'No,' Will replied. 'There's no smoking on school grounds. And aren't you a minor as well?'   
  
'Psh. Don't I wish.' Jack pushed himself from the wall he was leaning on and sidled up to Will. 'Unlike you, I'm legal for most of what I do. As for being a "minor," I could easily drink your underage ass under the table. Savvy?'   
  
'You drink, too?!' He'd never met anyone like Jack. Sure, Port Whisk had its general rule breakers, but they didn't openly admit to it nor do such things in broad daylight.   
  
Jack chuckled. 'I never said I drink. I merely stated an assumption of which I believe to be true.'   
  
'That may be, but I wouldn't put it past you.'   
  
'Oh? But you don't even know me. Wouldn't even give me a chance,' Jack pointed out.   
  
'I think I know you well enough to tell that you're probably nothing but trouble.'   
  
'Alright. You know me well enough. So, friends?' Jack offered his hand to Will.   
  
Will glanced at Jack's hand. 'How about we start with acquaintance?'   
  
'Great. We'll work on friendship and the like after school,' Jack said with a satisfied smile.   
  
Will returned an unsure smile. _What am I getting myself into?_ he asked himself. He watched as Jack dropped his cigarette to the ground and with one smooth movement, stepped on it with a turn and slight bounce. Somehow, Jack came off as carefree and graceful at the same time, dancing to a tune that only he could hear. He followed Jack back to their locker, taking in his every movement and gesture.   
  
Jack opened the locker. He stared at it for a while then looked to Will. 'Someone stole Miffy.'   
  
'Who?' Will asked. He looked past Jack, not understanding what he was speaking of.   
  
'Miffy,' Jack repeated. 'Piece of white cotton hanging on a string. She looked sad, so I gave her a smile and named her "Miffy."'   
  
'You...named it?'   
  
'I thought it was the locker mascot.'   
  
'Anna's right. You _are_ a freak.'   
  
'You're just jealous 'cuz I'm an individual,' Jack smugly stated.   
  
'That wears eyeliner and a collar of all things,' Will added.   
  
'Brings out the color of my eyes.' Jack batted his eyelashes at Will for emphasis.   
  
'That may be, but isn't there a leash law?' Will asked as he reached up and flicked the jingle bell.   
  
'Why? You gonna lead me around on one?' He edged closer to Will and looked deep into his eyes.   
  
Before Will could articulate an answer, the bell rang. _Saved by the bell!_   
  
'That's my cue. Gotta go,' Jack said cheerily then vanished amongst the growing crowd of students as they spilled out from the classrooms.   
  
Will sighed in relief. _What the Hell has gotten into me?! Flirting with him!! It's because he looks like a girl. That's why,_ he told himself.   
  
'So, is he rich?' Elizabeth asked, stirring him from his thoughts.   
  
'Huh?'   
  
'Is he rich?'   
  
'Oh, no you don't. Don't even go there. I'm not...' He looked around the sea of students, hoping they wouldn't be heard. 'I'm not what you insist I am, so drop it.'   
  
'Well, excuse me. But the two of you seemed quite friendly with each other,' she said suggestively. She went to her locker and retrieved the book for her next class.   
  
'I...that is... Fuck you.'   
  
'My! Such naughty language.'   
  
'Let's just go to class, alright?'   
  
Elizabeth took Will's arm in her own. 'Lead the way. But don't think that I don't want to hear all about your new friend.'   
  
'He's not my new friend. At least, not in the way you're thinking.'   
  
'Not yet, he's not.'   
  
'What's that supposed to mean?!'   
  
'No shouting. Just take your seats and shut up or use indoor voices,' the teacher said from behind his desk.   
  
'Sorry, Mr. Gibbs,' Will apologized. He and Elizabeth took their seats next to Anna, who was already there and sneaking glances at Mr. Gibbs.   
  
Josh Gibbs was the newest and youngest teacher on the staff. Fresh out of college, he began teaching at Whisk High the year before and was immediately the designated heartthrob of most of the girls there. Especially to one in particular, though she hid behind her snide comments about him.   
  
After the second bell rang, Mr. Gibbs stood up pointed to an area in the middle of the map the hung over the blackboard. 'In this day in history, something happened here. What was it?'   
  
'Atlantis sunk,' Anna answered, generated giggles and laughter from the other students.   
  
Mr. Gibbs looked at the mapped and realized he was pointing at the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 'Or a ship. You've no proof that Atlantis was located in that spot.'   
  
'My belief in my ancestors is all the proof I need.'   
  
'I thought they were Jamaican.'   
  
'First, we lived in Atlantis. Then it sunk, so we had to find a new home.'   
  
'And Jamaica is about to follow suit, and that's why you're here now. Correct?'   
  
'Now that you mention it...'   
  
'Test on chapter one tomorrow,' he said over any other remarks Anna might have had. The groans came, and he continued. 'It will be one question and worth ten points, so I suggest you do more than just skim.'   
  
Elizabeth raised her hand.   
  
'Yes?'   
  
'Is it open book?'   
  
'No, but you may have hand written notes,' he replied. _As if they would do you any good._   
  
Almost everyone opened their book and began copying the chapter word for word. Will just stared at the title, going over his interlude with Jack. Was it just his imagination (or wishful thinking), or had Jack been flirting with him to begin with? _Why does it matter? I'm not like that. I'm just tired, and Lizzie's got me all confused. But he does have really nice eyes. Wonder what he looks like without the eyeliner... Probably more gorgeous. God, dammit!! Stop thinking like that! I'm not like...but what if I am?_ Will groaned at his inner turmoil and prayed for the day to quickly end.   
  
School finally ended for Will, and he went off to his locker. He was half expecting, half hoping, that Jack would be waiting for him. There was no sign of Jack, he collected what he needed and headed home for the evening. Much to his relief, his parents didn't pester him. He went to bed early and watched a movie or two on his T.V. before drifting off into sleep and into a dream.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: Please point out any inconsistencies. I've no beta, so I don't catch everything. For those of you that don't like me turning Jack into a smoker: Don't worry, it's not the really weird stinky ones--it's those nicer smelling menthol type one that come in the pretty tins. ^__^ (To me, they don't leave that bad a stench on the person.) 


	4. Dreams

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Dreams' is a Cranberries song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Dreams...angst maybe.  
  
_AN_: I wrote this, then...my fuckin' floppy died!! On this story only! I had to rewrite the whole damned thing, so some stuff's been added, some's changed, and some's probably missing. I cut it shorter than it was, and decided to put the ending scene as the beginning scene of the next part. How annoying. Also, for those of you that keep buggin' me about _Crimson Ways_, I have it half way done--I just have to write myself out of the corner is all.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Dreams_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Will was frolicking with the purple octopi and green jackelopes if the fields below Fig Newton Mountain. He had given up on teaching Susie, the octopus with freckles, how to knit origami, so he went in search of a stick to beat the red gnome at marbles with. He was looking around the base of a boulder when the scene around him faded into a different.   
  
It was strange. Will felt completely awake, but he was almost certain that he'd been sleeping moments ago. He was conscious enough to remember how pointless his last dream was. He wondered if this was what it was like to sleepwalk. Perhaps that's what was happening.   
  
He looked around at his surroundings. He was in what appeared to be a workshop of sorts. There were swords hanging all around the dimly lit room. There was something familiar about the place. To his side stood a donkey hooked up to some sort of contraption. Will stepped past it and saw a tubby old man asleep on a chair in the corner. 'Right where I left you,' he heard himself say. It was really his voice, but he didn't think much about it. He ventured further into the room and came a across a hammer lying atop an anvil. 'Not where I left you.' His gaze shifted over and caught sight of a hat. He reached to get a closer look at it, but his hand was promptly smacked by a sword.   
  
Will awoke with a start. He was gasping for air as if he'd just run a marathon. He looked around; he was no longer in the dusty room, but back in his own. He didn't think that dreams were supposed to be that real. At least, he'd never had any so realistic before. And the part that got him was that his hand stung from where the sword hit him. He flicked on the light that sat on the nightstand next to his and examine the back of his right hand. It was slightly reddened where he'd been hit. He searched around himself for something that he could've whacked his hand on during his sleep, but there was nothing.   
  
He glanced at the digital clock. It was five in the morning. There was no way that he'd be able to get back to sleep in time for it to be worth anything, so he sat in his bed and stared at the wall, contemplating what had just happened. He wondered who could've hit him. Was it even important that he found out?   
  
He kept repeating the dream over and over in his head. It was so clear. He could remember all the little details. The dust and humidity in the air, the smell of alcohol that drifted from the man in the corner, but mostly the feel of the cool metal from the sword coming in contact with his skin. He traced the red mark with his finger.   
  
The morning drifted by slowly for Will, and the time for him to head for school eventually came. He arrived early and went straight to his locker to dump off his books. He was about to close the door when something white caught his attention. A white cotton ball with googley eyes was hanging from one of the hooks with a hemp string tied off as a noose. His hand guided itself to the white fluff, but was smacked away by a red transparent ruler. Will took his hand back in shock and turned to see who hit him as the world around him melted into the one from his dream.   
  
Before him stood a roughed up version of what looked to be Captain Morgan in eyeliner. The man had a sword pointed at Will--he immediately recognized it as the one from his dream. Just as quickly as the vision came, it left.   
  
Will's knees gave out, and he fell to the floor, clutching his head. He could feel something under his chin, tilting his head upward. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Jack looking at him with great concern.   
  
'You OK?' Jack asked. He offered Will a hand to help him up.   
  
'Yea...I'm fine,' he replied, gratefully accepting Jack's help. Once up, he leaned back on the lockers, not fully trusting himself to stand.   
  
'Don't lie. People don't just fall down without a reason,' Jack said. 'So what's wrong with you?'   
  
'Nothing's wrong with me.'   
  
'Then what just happened?'   
  
'I...I'm not exactly sure.'   
  
'Then you have an idea of what happened.'   
  
'No, I don't.'   
  
'Yes, you do. You just said that you weren't exactly sure of what happened, which implies that you have an idea of what happened,' Jack stated. 'So you should tell me what you think happened, and then we'll compare notes and find out what's wrong with you.'   
  
Will shook his head to distract himself from Jack's dancing hands. _Can't he sit still for one minute?!_   
  
'Hey. Hey!'   
  
'What?'   
  
'Maybe I shoulda hit your head with this instead,' Jack said as he tapped the ruler on Will's head.   
  
Will shut the locker door and walked off. 'Leave me alone.'   
  
Jack ignored Will's request and followed him. 'Come on. Just tell me what's wrong. It'll help.'   
  
'No, it won't. And nothing's wrong!'   
  
'It always helps to talk about things with your friends.'   
  
'Exactly. Friends. If I wanted to talk about anything important, I'd talk to either my friends or my parents. Not you. What makes you think I'd spill my heart out to you? I barely even know you!' Will said in a low tone then brushed past Jack.   
  
Jack was shocked to say the least. It was true. They barely knew each other, but Jack felt a certain connection with Will. He stared ahead, trying to figure out what to make of the situation. Should he pursue Will? Try again at lunch? He looked up at a clock hanging on the wall. It was a good fifteen minutes before class, so he made up his mind to just go home for the day and not even bother.   
  
Will waited outside the school for Elizabeth to show up. In the distance, he could hear a bell. He turned to see Jack stalking towards the center of the parking lot.   
  
Jack got into his car and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He couldn't understand why he was getting so worked up over a pretty face. More so than usual. He started up his car and left.   
  
Will watched as Jack's car left. _Where's he going? I didn't think I was that hard on him..._ He was pulled from his thoughts by Elizabeth calling to him as she parked her car nearby.   
  
'Hey... Is something wrong?' she asked when she approached him.   
  
'Everything's fine,' he answered. 'I just told Jack off for sticking his nose where it should be. I think he took it harder than I intended...'   
  
'Oh? And what was that?' Elizabeth asked as the walked towards the school.   
  
'Well, something happened, and Jack wouldn't stop prying.'   
  
'What happened?'   
  
'I had a weird dream this morning,' he replied. 'And then I was back in it for a second when I was standing in front of the locker.'   
  
'Why couldn't you tell him that that's what happened?' she asked.   
  
'Because... I don't know,' Will admitted.   
  
'You should apologize for chewing him out,' Elizabeth suggested as they entered their classroom.   
  
Will nodded submissively. 'I know.'   
  
'So tell me about your dream!'   
  
'First, there was a hat and I went to pick it up, and a sword hit my hand. Then I woke up,' he explained. 'When I got to school, Jack hit my hand with a ruler, and that's when my dream came back. Instead of Jack standing in front of me, there was this strange looking man...wearing eyeliner.'   
  
'I know what's wrong with you.'   
  
'You do?'   
  
'Yeah. You're crazy.'   
  
'Oh, gee. Thanks,' Will said sarcastically. 'Remind me never to confide in you.'   
  
'Never confide in me,' she replied with a grin. 'Anyway, maybe your dream means that you shouldn't trust Jack with swords.'   
  
Will rolled his eyes at Elizabeth. 'I don't think he should be trusted with anything.'   
  
Lunch time rolled around and Will waited by the locker for Jack to appear, but he didn't. He remembered seeing Jack leave, but he assumed that he was going to come back. He went to his next class then waited by the locker again for his free period. There was still no sign of Jack.   
  
He'd become so stressed about Jack that he'd forgotten about the test in Mr. Gibbs's class. True to his word, Gibbs only put one question on the test: 'What is the title of the first chapter?' Only a handful of students had answered correctly ('Introduction'). They had gotten it correct because they had only skimmed over the titles and subtitles of the chapter. Will only remembered because he'd been staring at the title the whole period the day before. School ended, and Will went home. Because he had gotten up so early, he went to bed early. With sleep came another dream.   
  
Will was back in the dusty room, staring at the roughed up Captain Morgan. At least, he thought he was. He was also staring at himself--an older and slightly different looking self, but still himself. The other man was revealed to be a pirate--that explained his appearance. A scene played out before him where he and the other man performed a bit of sword play. The pirate bid his farewell, and as he reached the door, Will, the other him, threw his sword at the door, effectively trapping the pirate. Another, much longer sword fight played out. Will kept his eyes on the pirate, completely entranced by him. He seemed so familiar. Something about the way he moved.   
  
In the end, the pirate cheated. The other Will blocked the back exit. There were shouts from the other side of the front entrance, and the pirate pleaded for him to move. From behind the pirate, the tubby old man from the corner hit him over the head with a bottle. He fell to the ground unconscious just as the men from outside burst through the door.   
  
The one that seemed to be the leader loomed over the pirate's prone figure. 'I trust you'll always remember this as the day that Captain Jack Sparrow almost escaped,' he said.   
  
Will awoke back in his room. He had broken out in a cold sweat and his was entangled within his sheets. He sat up and went over his dream. 'Jack...Sparrow,' he said aloud. _That's what he called the pirate... Isn't Jack's last name Sparrow?_   
  
He looked at the clock; it was three in the morning. Will sighed and lay back down. He stared at the ceiling, wondering what his dream could possibly mean. He made a note to run by the library after school and see if they had any books on dreams. He eventually fell back into a dreamless sleep.   
  
That day at school, there was still no sign of Jack. Will waited in vain by the locker, worrying about Jack. He hated to admit it, but he missed him and didn't know why. Will left school that day feeling miserable. He remembered to stop by the library and check out a few books on dreams. Will read through them that night, but couldn't find anything that explained the dreams he'd had. The definitions on colors and objects were of no use to him, so he'd hit a dead end.   
  
He gave up and went to bed early, hoping that he'd have the dream again. But it never came. Will awoke the next morning completely rested but unfulfilled.   
  
_Why didn't I have the dream?_ Will sat at the kitchen table, poking at his breakfast. He kept asking himself the question over and over. _It started after I met Jack... Maybe he's the key to all this. I wonder...if I saw him today, would I have the dream again?_ It seemed like a stupid theory at the time. He'd only had the dream twice, but it happened when he'd been in contact with Jack the day before. He didn't know what he'd do if he couldn't see what happened next in the dream. He was impatient to know, and he didn't want to go the whole weekend without knowing. He also wanted to see Jack. Talk to him. Get to know him better. _A lot better... Dammit!! Don't think like that!_   
  
Will waited for Jack by the locker, but he never came. Will headed off to class, completely forgetting to wait for Elizabeth. He was folding a piece of notebook paper into an origami ball when someone knocked him upside the head with a folder. 'Ow!! Watch it!'   
  
'Where were you?!'   
  
'What...?' Will looked up to see Elizabeth glaring down at him. 'I'm sorry! I forgot,' he apologized. 'My mind's been on other things.'   
  
'What kind of things?' she asked as she took her seat.   
  
Will averted his eyes to his origami, a faint tinge of red covering his cheeks. 'Just things.'   
  
Elizabeth leaned closer. 'As in your boyfriend?' she asked in a teasing whisper.   
  
Will's blush became more apparent. 'N-no! He's not... I'm not... I'll tell you later.'   
  
Elizabeth sighed and slid back into her seat. _Why's he gotta be so difficult? Men._ 'You'll tell me at lunch then?'   
  
'Fine.'   
  
The moment lunch came Elizabeth dragged Will to the school's front lawn and led him under a tree. 'So? What's up?'   
  
Will sat down and leaned against the tree. 'It's complicated.'   
  
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. 'Just tell me and get it off your chest. You'll feel better; I guarantee it.'   
  
'Well, it started with this dream I had...' Will described every detail from his dream. 'I've looked into books, but they don't say anything useful. And I know that my dream's important.'   
  
Elizabeth smiled warmly at him. 'When I was going through my dream phase I found a really neat book. It's more about why we have dreams than dissecting. I found it quite interesting. Lots of stuff in it. I know! I'll loan it to you,' she said. 'But that can't be your only problem.'   
  
Will bit his lip and looked down. _She'll just keep pestering me if I don't tell her, and she'll pester me if I do. I hate these kind of decisions._ He looked back up at her. 'Well... The first time I had the dream was the night after I met Jack. I saw Jack the next day and had the dream again that night. Then yesterday, I didn't see Jack, and I didn't have the dream. And I...I kinda liked having the dream. I want to see how it ends,' Will explained.   
  
'Then all you have to do is visit Jack, right?'   
  
'V-visit? What do you mean by that?'   
  
'As in go up to his door, knock, and then jump him and proclaim your undying love for him,' she said with a straight face.   
  
'What?! I'm doing no such thing!'   
  
'If you want to have that dream again, then you'd better go see Jack.'   
  
'I don't even know where he lives. So there,' Will said, daring Elizabeth to get past that road block. He stood up and dusted the dirt off himself.   
  
'No problem,' she said with a smile. 'He's sure to have left something in the locker with his address on it.' She took off back towards the school before Will could stop her.   
  
'Wait! Don't you dare, Elizabeth!!' Will ran after her, but he was too late.   
  
When he caught up she already had the locker open and was sifting through Jack's shelf. 'Aha! Found it,' she cried triumphantly as she pulled out Jack's schedule and held it out of Will's reach. 'If they're so keen on keeping people's addresses private, then they shouldn't slap them on the schedules.'   
  
'Lizzie, it's rude to go through other someone's personal things! Now, give me that!' He made a reach for the schedule, but Elizabeth kept it just out of Will's reach.   
  
'Why? Are you going to visit him and see how he's doing? He's been missing from school, so you don't have to worry about having an excuse.'   
  
'I...' _She's right. I do have a good excuse to see him._ He stopped trying to grab the schedule from Elizabeth and thought about his options.   
  
'I'll go with you,' Elizabeth added.   
  
'Fine.'   
  
'Great! So where does he live?' She looked over the address and cocked her head to the side. 'This is where those new apartments are. I know where that is.'   
  
'Where?'   
  
'South,' she replied, pointing east.   
  
Will sighed and snatched the schedule from her. 'Class is about to start. I'll see you later.' He trudged off to his class, leaving an overly ecstatic Elizabeth behind.   
  
The rest of school went by all too quickly for Will as the anticipation built up. He was beginning to regret agreeing with Elizabeth. _Maybe I'll get lucky, and he won't be there,_ he thought as he followed Elizabeth to her car. He watched Elizabeth jump in and look at him expectantly. _At least she's coming with me._ He slowly got into the passenger seat and hugged his backpack as if it were a lifeline.   
  
Elizabeth started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. At a stop light, she looked over to Will. 'Don't be nervous,' she said soothingly. 'I'm sure he likes you, too. My soldier of love instinct tells me so.'   
  
'I don't like him like that!' _And I doubt he likes me like that either. Why should he?_ He turned up the radio to try and drown out his thoughts.   
  
Elizabeth sped through the streets, singing off key to the words she knew and humming the rest. After a few wrong turns, they made it to their destination.   
  
Will got out and looked at Elizabeth. 'Well?'   
  
'Well what?'   
  
'Aren't you coming?' he asked.   
  
'I came, I saw, and now I'm leaving,' she said. 'Besides, I have dry cleaning waiting for me, and they get all pissy if you're late.'   
  
'But you said you'd come!'   
  
'This is something you need to do on your own, Will.'   
  
'But--'   
  
'Do you really need me to hold your hand to knock on a door?'   
  
'No.'   
  
'Good. Just call me when you're ready to be picked up.'   
  
Will nodded.   
  
'Bye!' She stepped on the gas and was out of sight within seconds.   
  
'Bye...' Will turned around and looked at the apartment complex behind him. He pulled out the folded schedule from his pocket and went looking for Jack's apartment. It didn't take him long, and before he knew it, he was standing on the welcome mat outside apartment 3D. He raised his hand to knock on the door and hesitated. _What if he's home? What if he's not?_ Without really knowing it, he rapped on the door. The pit of his stomach gave an unsettling lurch as he realized what he'd just done.   
  
A few moments passed and there was no answer. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed. He turned to walk away, but as he did, he heard the door open behind him.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: Death to the evil floppy!! I'm hoping to have the next part out soon. 


	5. What's On My Mind

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'What's On My Mind' is a Cranberries song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Some more dreaming. Suck face. Some...confused Will.  
  
_AN_: This chapter is short. Not as short as the first, but not as long as the others. Only reason this got done so quick is because the first part was already written on the dead floppy.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
What's On My Mind_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


'Yes?'   
  
Will turned back to the door. The sight before him left him speechless. Jack stood in the doorway topless with a confused look on his face. Will looked Jack up and down, taking in the details. Jack was clad only in a pair of faded blue sweatpants that hung loosely at his hips. The braid was missing from his soaked hair, and droplets of water dripped onto his shoulders and down his chest. More importantly, there were no dark rings around Jack's dark eyes.   
  
Jack leaned against the doorframe and asked 'So why are you here?'   
  
'You were missing from school, and I...I was concerned,' Will said, carefully choosing his words and doing his best not to look at Jack.   
  
'Alright. But how did you find me?'   
  
Will held out the schedule for Jack to take. 'Lizzie found it in the locker,' he explained, getting as much blame off his shoulders as possible.   
  
Jack took the schedule and looked it over. He looked back up at Will with a smirk. 'Did she now?'   
  
'I just came to see if you were OK. You obviously are, so I'm gonna go now.' Will began to walk away, but Jack went after him and grabbed him by the arm.   
  
'Nonsense! You've only just got here. Come in and sit. Have some coffee.' _Just don't leave me._   
  
Will agreed and was dragged into the apartment. He heard the door shut behind, and he felt trapped.   
  
Jack stepped around him and led him into the living room. The boxes that once littered the room were gone. 'Come on in, take a load off.' He plopped on the couch and patted the cushion next to him.   
  
Will sat down next to Jack. _All we're doing is sitting. Some talking. That's it. Nothing big. Nothing personal,_ he kept reminding himself.   
  
'We know that I'm peachy, but what about you? How have you been?' Jack asked.   
  
'Me? I've been fine,' Will replied.   
  
'Are you sure? You look a little flushed,' Jack said as he leaned towards Will. _Mmm. Smells like a French vanilla cappuccino. Or maybe a latte. That sounds really good right about now._ Jack became distracted by his thoughts and forgot how close he was to Will.   
  
Will, on the other hand, was very well aware of Jack's proximity to him. He looked around the room to find something to distract Jack away from him. On the table next to him sat a photograph of Jack and two other people. 'Are these your friends?' he asked, indicating the picture.   
  
Jack reached over and grabbed the framed picture for a closer look. 'Yea. This is me, Sam, and my ex, Ashley, playing with the troll under the bridge,' he said, handing the photo to Will.   
  
Will examined the picture. Sure enough, there was a large, concrete troll looming over the three individuals in the background. Jack was in the middle with his arms around the other two, decked out in eyeliner and a fishnet shirt. To his right was who Will assumed to be Sam--he was dressed as a skater and appeared to be the most normal out of the group. On Jack's left stood an oriental girl wearing obscenely bright, neon colors. _They do make a cute couple,_ he thought with a bit of jealousy. 'So what happened between you and Ashley?' Will asked.   
  
'I walked in on him fucking the brains out of some chick,' he replied.   
  
'Oh. Wait. "Him?"' Will looked up at Jack with a look of shock.   
  
'You thought Pretty Sammy was Ashley!' Jack exclaimed with an amused laugh.   
  
'But I thought...I mean--'   
  
'You thought I was straight,' Jack pointed out.   
  
Will looked back down at the picture in his hands and nodded uncomfortably. He could feel the warmth gather on his cheeks.   
  
Jack leaned closer and whispered into Will's ear 'Mm... That's so cute.'   
  
Will shot up from the couch. 'It's getting late. I should go now.'   
  
'Right. Here, I'll show you to the door,' Jack said as he stood. He took a step forward, but his foot had gotten tangled in the phone cord that lay in front of the couch. He lost his balance and began to fall.   
  
Instinctively, Will reached out to help Jack. He grabbed Jack's arm, but instead of keeping him balanced, he fell on top of Jack. After they hit the floor, Will opened an eye to see where he was. All he could see was Jack's bare shoulder and the carpet beneath them. _Strawberry shampoo and...is that alcohol? This is not the time to be smelling other boys! Get up! Getupgetupgetup!!_ He pushed himself up and would have gotten further if he hadn't looked at Jack's face.   
  
Jack looked up at Will with a raised eyebrow. _This is interesting..._   
  
Will gulped and subconsciously licked his lips. _Why am I just sitting here? Move..._   
  
Jack closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against Will's. _I could stay here forever,_ he thought happily.   
  
Will tensed and his breath caught in his throat. _Oh, God..._ He wanted to move away, but he was lost in the feeling of the kiss. He felt complete, like he'd found something he'd been missing his whole life.   
  
Jack closed his eyes and began to massage Will's lips.   
  
Will began to relax. It wasn't that bad really, kissing another boy. He began to respond to Jack and felt Jack's tongue seeking entrance. He parted his lips for him, feeling Jack smile.   
  
Jack deepened the kiss and explored Will's mouth with his tongue. It felt like familiar territory. Jack flipped them over so he was on top, proving his dominance over Will. He brought himself up so he sat on Will's hips, never breaking away from Will's mouth. He broke free for air and switched to kissing and licking his way down Will's neck. He tugged and pulled at Will's shirt. He settled for biting Will's clavicle through the annoying fabric.   
  
Will gasped at the sudden pain. It hurt, but in good way. Jack's face came into his field of vision with lust-filled eyes. He'd seen that same look before. The same hunger. The same desire. Where did he know it from? Everything around him shifted into the world of his dream, but he was somewhere else. A bedroom maybe. _No! Not now!!_ On the bed, lay two figures. They seemed to be fighting or something. Will stepped forward to get a better look then wished he hadn't. It was the other him and the pirate. _I'm-! He's-!_ They reached their climax, screaming the other's name. _No! That's not me and Jack! I'd never--! I'm not...but I am... I shouldn't be kissing him! Stop! Wake up, dammit!!_ Will's eyes flew up and he pushed Jack off himself with all the strength he had and scooted away from him. 'No!'   
  
'Oof!' Jack landed on his ass. He gave Will a confused look, but Will was pressed against the wall hugging his knees to his chest, shaking. 'Will?' He crawled over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.   
  
Will smacked Jack's hand away. 'Don't touch me!'   
  
'I'm sorry,' Jack apologized. 'I just...'   
  
Will stood up and walked shakily to the couch and picked up his bag. 'I-I...I should go now,' he said, not looking at Jack.   
  
'Right. Bye.'   
  
Will showed himself to the door. Once out, he took off in a dead run. He finally stopped in front of a gas station to catch his breath. He went over to one of the pay phones and dropped in a quarter. He dialed Elizabeth's number and waited for an answer. _Please pick up..._   
  
'Hello?'   
  
'Lizzie! Can you come and get me? I'm at the gas station a couple blocks from the apartments.'   
  
'What?! How the Hell did you get there?'   
  
'I... I don't wanna talk about it right now.'   
  
Elizabeth was silent on the other end for a few seconds. 'Alright. Just stay where you are. I'll be right there.'   
  
'Thanks.'   
  
Will stood on the sidewalk in front of the gas station waiting for Elizabeth for about fifteen minutes. 'Thanks, Lizzie,' he said as he got in the Jeep.   
  
'What happened? Will, what's wrong?'   
  
Will was still slightly shaking. 'I-I had another one of those dreams,' he replied. 'It was so weird. I don't wanna talk about it.'   
  
'But, Will...'   
  
'I don't want to talk about it!'   
  
Elizabeth fell into a guilty silence. _What could have possibly happened?_ She dropped Will off at his house. 'Oh, Will!' She tossed a book at him when he turned to see what she wanted. 'That's the book I told you about. Keep it as long as you like.'   
  
'Thanks.' He took the book under his arm and went into his house.   
  
Elizabeth sighed and went to her own home. The moment she entered the house, she made a beeline for her room and the cordless phone within. She dialed a long distance number and waited.   
  
'Stop calling!' a male voice yelled through the phone.   
  
'Is that anyway to speak to your girlfriend?!'   
  
'Elizabeth! Sorry, I thought it was Tony calling again.'   
  
'I forgive you. This time.'   
  
'So what's up? You don't normally call in midday.'   
  
'Sam, I'm worried about Will,' she replied.   
  
'You're always worried about Will,' Sam pointed out.   
  
'Yea, but this time I'm _really_ worried. He seemed so different when I picked him up.'   
  
'He'll be fine. Will can take care of himself. Trust me.'   
  
'I know, but...I dunno.'   
  
'Liz. Promise me you won't meddle.'   
  
Elizabeth whined a noise and fell backwards onto her bed.   
  
'Elizabeth...'   
  
'Fine... I'll try not to meddle anymore.'   
  
'Anymore?! What did you do?'   
  
'I only gave him a ride and a book. That's it.'   
  
'Just keep it that way. I gotta go to work. Bye.'   
  
'Tata. I love you.'   
  
'Love you, too.'   
  


~Back at Jack's.~

  
  
Jack had removed himself from the floor and gone to bed. The different time zone had been affecting him all week as he p tried to adjust his internal clock. It didn't help that he'd skip school and had no reason to be up at normal hours. He slowly drifted off to sleep.   
  
Jack sat in a dingy old jail cell, watching his counter part catch some shut eye. That's when he heard the explosions. The wall of the cell next to him came crashing down as a cannon ball flew through it. Jack watched in disbelief as the other men left. 'U-unfair. That's so cliché! This whole dream is cliché!!'   
  
He felt the desperation to escape as his pirate self took up the bone and tried to coaxed the dog towards him. The dog was almost there, but was scared away from a commotion on the stairs. _Stupid dog. I hate dogs. They're all stupid,_ Jack thought grudgingly.   
  
He watched with interest as two other men, whom he somehow knew and had a great hatred for, came up to his cell. Some words were exchanged, then pirate Jack crossed a line with the two men, and suddenly had five boney fingers wrapped around his throat.   
  
Jack awoke, trying to claw away invisible hands. He bolted upright, gasping for air. He checked both sides of his hands then felt his neck. _That was **not** fun._ His breathing returned to normal, and he lay back down. _Why the Hell would I dream about skeletons? I haven't watched any zombie movies as of late..._ He eventually fell back asleep and back into his dream.   
  
'I'm bored with this one. Can't I just go to a nudist disco or something?' he asked his other self, who kept trying to pick the lock with a broken bone. 'Why do I have the feeling you don't know what you're doing?' They both looked up as the door atop the stair creaked open. Jack perked up when he saw Will. He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and moved quickly over to him.   
  
Will and Jack conversed for a bit, then a name was pronounced. 'Will Turner.'   
  
'Turner...,' Jack repeated. _I wonder if Will's name is Turner as well? That's why we have phone books,_ he thought happily. Perhaps he wouldn't go the entire weekend without seeing Will. He watched in glee as the scene before him progressed, ending with the clang of the cell door being taken off its hinges. His dream melted into one where he and Scooby-Doo were on a mission to track down Scrappy-Doo and the Pelican of the Opera. 

~That night at Will's.~

  
  
Will was curled into a fetal position on his bed, hugging his pillow. _What happened? What was it? What did it mean? Why...why did I kiss him?! Why did I let him kiss me?_ He clutched the pillow tighter and shut his eyes. _What's wrong with me?! Am I going crazy?_ Before Will was completely lost to sleep, he muttered 'Jack...I miss you.'   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: I'm gonna try working on _Crimson Ways_ part seventeen before I continue with this one. In the meantime, let's play a guessing game! ^__^ Where did I decide that Neo-Jack is from? 


	6. Awakening

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Awakening' is a Kaito song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Phone conversation. Hope y'all don't get too confused.  
  
_AN_: Dan was chosen because I know a bunch of Dans.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Awakening_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Will's dream had progressed to where he and pirate Jack were looking over the new crew. He was still seething over being used as leverage. His favorite of the crew so far was Mr. Cotton (the name rung a bell). It might have been due to him fitting the description of a stereotypical pirate--parrot and all. A woman's voice called from the side. Pirate Jack removed the hat, letting her hair fall and revealing her face. Jack didn't have to identify her for Will to know who she was--she was the spitting image of Anna.   
  
Before anything else could happen, Will heard an annoying beeping sound in the background. It grew louder, and the dream faded to darkness. Will reached over and smacked the snooze button. _Knew I shoulda turned that thing off... Why's Miss Langford a blond in my dream?_ He stayed in bed for the next hour or so, drifting in and out of sleep, until his mother came in to wake him up.   
  
His mother threw open the curtains. 'Time you got up, sleepy head.'   
  
'But I'm comfy,' Will whined.   
  
'Then get comfy elsewhere,' she replied and left the room.   
  
Will sat up and groggily rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He got out of bed and rummaged through his drawers for something to wear. He settled on a pair of jeans and a white shirt. _Wonder what Lizzie's doing today,_ he thought as he pulled some shoes on.   
  
'Will!' his mother called from downstairs.   
  
'What?!' he called back.   
  
'Phone!'   
  
_Probably Lizzie._ He grabbed the phone in the hall just outside his door. 'Got it!'   
  
'That's not all you got,' a voice said teasingly from the other side.   
  
'Pardon? I'm sorry, but who is this?'   
  
'You've already forgotten me? I'm hurt! Go on, guess!'   
  
_Couldn't be... He doesn't have my number._ 'Dan?' he guessed.   
  
'Ehhr! Wrong, try again. I'll even give you a hint! I'm the cutest guy you've ever had the pleasure of k-meeting.'   
  
'That's pretty self-centered...' _Cutest guy? Jack. But why would he call me? I haven't exactly been nice to him._   
  
'Damn straight. Now, guess.'   
  
'I don't want to.'   
  
'Me love you long time if you guess right.'   
  
'But I don't want you to love me long time.'   
  
'Coulda fooled me...'   
  
'What's that supposed to mean?'   
  
'Nothing. Now, guess.'   
  
'Dammit, Jack! I don't wanna play your stupid game!!'   
  
'Right! Let's talk about your prize.'   
  
_Why's he calling? How did he get my number? Lizzie? No, she wouldn't do that._   
  
'Hello? Still alive over there?'   
  
'How did you get this number?'   
  
'Phonebook.'   
  
'But...how? I never gave you my last name.'   
  
'Yes, you did,' Jack lied.   
  
'No, I didn't. I'm not so stupid as to give complete strangers my last name.'   
  
'In any case, it's in the past.'   
  
'Jack...'   
  
'We should go out.'   
  
'W-what?!'   
  
'And do something.'   
  
'Actually...I was planning on doing something with Lizzie today.'   
  
'Planning on, as in already planned, or as in planning to call her?'   
  
'Planning to call her,' Will replied quietly.   
  
'Oh, good! She can come with us then.'   
  
'To do what exactly?'   
  
'Give me a proper tour of Port Whisk, of course.'   
  
_There's no harm in that, and Lizzie would be there._ Will sighed and replied 'Alright...'   
  
'Great! When should I get you?'   
  
'Wait, get me? You don't even know where I live.'   
  
'Your address is listed by your number, and there's a map in the phonebook.'   
  
'Oh...'   
  
'So I'll see you in...fifteen or twenty minutes then?'   
  
'Sure... Wait!'   
  
'Yea?'   
  
'W-why did you...you know.'   
  
'Why did I what?'   
  
Will looked up and down the hall. _No sign of her._ 'Why did you kiss me?'   
  
'Seemed like a good idea at the time. And you never stopped me.'   
  
'I-I was in shock!'   
  
'Then you got over your initial shock and kissed back. Trust me, I was there.'   
  
'I... Oh, God, I did.'   
  
'My turn for a question.'   
  
'What?'   
  
'Why did you freak out like that?'   
  
'It's complicated.'   
  
'Will you tell me after you uncomplicate it then?'   
  
'Sure.'   
  
'Great. Now, call your bonnie lass up, and I'll be there soon. Ciao!'   
  
'Yea, bye.' Will hung up the phone. _'Bonnie lass?' Isn't that what he said in my dream...?_ He shrugged it off as coincidence, and called Elizabeth.   
  
Mrs. Turner was sitting on the stairs, going over what she'd just heard. She didn't mean to eavesdrop on Will; she was on her way up to put a vase in the master bedroom when she heard him ask why the boy on the other line kissed him. _Maybe it was his sister?_   
  
'Mom?!'   
  
'Oh! I'm sorry. I was just on my way up.' She stood and smiled guiltily.   
  
'How much did you hear?'   
  
'Enough, I suppose. Did that boy...?'   
  
Will blushed, answering her question.   
  
'I see. Um... Did he kiss you without your consent?' she asked awkwardly.   
  
'No,' Will replied miserably. He did feel better, now that it was out in the open.   
  
'What happened? If you don't mind my asking.' She was trying to handle the situation as carefully as possible, without embarrassing Will.   
  
'He kissed me, I kissed him back, he licked me, then he bit me, and then I freaked out,' Will explained with a laugh. 'It sounds so stupid...'   
  
'He...bit you?'   
  
Will remained silent and looked down.   
  
'That's...different.'   
  
'He's not exactly normal.'   
  
She nodded and looked at the vase she was holding. 'Well, I should get this put away. Just promise me that no matter what, you'll be careful.'   
  
'But I'm not...' _What am I thinking? I kissed another guy and enjoyed it. There's no denying it._ 'Nevermind. I'll be careful.' Will went down the stairs and waited by the window for Jack to arrive.   
  
Twenty minutes passed, and a black convertible pulled up in front of his house. Jack got out of the car then tripped over the seatbelt. Will laughed at the look on Jack's face before he went down. He went over to the door and opened it before Jack could ring the bell, not that it stopped him.   
  
'You didn't have to ring the bell,' Will said as he showed Jack in.   
  
'But I wanted to.'   
  
'Hello. Will, who's your friend?' Will's mother had just come down the stairs and was curiously eying Jack.   
  
'This is Jack,' Will said, stepping aside for his mother to get a good look at Jack.   
  
'We talked on the phone,' Jack explained.   
  
Will visibly shrunk, and his mother lightly blushed. 'It's a pleasure to meet you,' she said politely.   
  
Jack looked between the two. _She knows._ Jack grinned and placed an arm around Will's shoulders. 'I assure you, the pleasure's all mine.'   
  
Will ducked out from under Jack's arm. 'Lizzie's expecting us.'   
  
'Right. Nice meeting you Mrs. Turner.'   
  
'Have fun, you two. And drive safe.'   
  
'I always do,' Jack assured her before he was pushed out the door by Will.   
  
'Goodbye, Mom.'   
  
'So, which way?' Jack asked once he started the car.   
  
'Just go straight until you hit Singer then turn right.'   
  
'Got it.' Jack followed the directions Will gave him until they reached Elizabeth's house. 'Big house.'   
  
'Her dad's the mayor,' Will said as he got out of the car.   
  
Jack nodded. 'Spoiled I bet.'   
  
'That may be, but she's one of the sweetest girls you'll ever meet.'   
  
'Then why aren't you dating her?' Jack asked as he pushed Will's hand away from the doorbell and rung it himself.   
  
'We're just friends. She already has a boyfriend.'   
  
'Do I get to meet him, too?'   
  
'No, he's in college in Boston.'   
  
The door opened and Elizabeth came out. 'I'm ready. Who's driving?'   
  
'Me.' Jack jingled his keys in front of her face--the keys had a jingley bell attached to them.   
  
'Got enough bells?' Elizabeth asked, looking from the keys to Jack's collar.   
  
Jack pretended to be shocked. 'You can never have enough bells! Like women and shoes.'   
  
Elizabeth laughed and locked the front door. 'So where are going?'   
  
'What's interesting around here?'   
  
'Not much,' Elizabeth admitted.   
  
'Please tell me you at least have one coffee shop or a café or...something that sells cappuccinos.'   
  
'Why?' Will asked.   
  
'I'm addicted to coffee drinks. But can you blame me? There's a Starbuck's on every corner back in Seattle.'   
  
'Every corner?' Will asked as they got into the car. He gave Jack a doubtful look.   
  
'Maybe not, but it certainly feels like it.'   
  
'Milky Moo-Moo. They're a café that sells cappuccinos,' Elizabeth answered. 'Sam and I went on dates there a lot. The guy that runs it is a real sweetheart.'   
  
'I've never been there,' Will commented.   
  
'We'll go there! Hey, Will.'   
  
'What?'   
  
'We should go there sometime on our own.'   
  
'I'm not going anywhere alone with you.'   
  
'Poo. But I need me a drinking buddy!'   
  
Will's mouth turned into a smile. _He's cute when he pouts._   
  
Elizabeth watched from the backseat and grinned. She leaned up on Will's right side as Jack started the car. 'You like him,' she whispered into his ear.   
  
Will turned around and glared at her.   
  
She slumped back into her seat, clearly pleased with herself.   
  
Jack stopped at a red light and looked around the near empty street. 'Uh... Which way?'   
  
'Left,' Elizabeth replied. 'It's the third light down, then you turn left again. There's a big cow head on the sign--you can't miss it.'   
  
They arrived in front of the café. Jack stared in awe at the cartoon cow head on the sign. 'That's gonna give me nightmares,' he said as he stepped out of the car.   
  
'I'd hate to see the inside,' Will said.   
  
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. 'It's not that bad! Look, I'll buy if you come in with me.'   
  
Jack snaked his arm around Elizabeth's waist. 'I'll follow you anywhere as long as it's your treat.'   
  
'I'm sure you would.' Elizabeth looked back at Will to ask if he was coming. He quickly looked away when their eyes met. _He's jealous!_ she realized with elation. She pinched Jack's hand off her hip. 'I'm taken.'   
  
Jack rubbed his hand. 'So I've heard. Poor guy.'   
  
'Hey!'   
  
Jack smiled innocently then turned to Will. 'Will, luv, my hand hurts.'   
  
'So?' Will raised a brow at Jack.   
  
'Kiss it and make it better.'   
  
Will brushed past Jack and entered the café. 'Kiss it yourself.'   
  
'Boo. Bad answer.'   
  
Jack and Elizabeth followed Will through the door.   
  
Everything was either black or white, going along with the cow theme. Depending on how one looked at it, it was either very cute, or very disturbing. The only real color was in one of the back corners.   
  
Jack pointed to the corner. 'Parrot.' _Mr. Cotton's...parrot. Heh. Probably something in the water..._   
  
Will looked and nodded. _Like the one from my dream._   
  
'Does it talk?' Jack asked.   
  
As if on cue, the parrot squawked. 'Dead men tell no tales.'   
  
A shiver ran down Jack's and Will's spines.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: The tripping over the seatbelt scene is all thanks to Ross, who tripped over the seatbelt when getting out of my car in front of...Ross. ^.^ 


	7. Almost Unreal

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Almost Unreal' is a Roxette song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: My general love for coffee drinks--especially Crowbars.  
  
_AN_: Explanations abound at the end of this chapter--of sorts.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Almost Unreal_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


'I guess that answers your question,' Will said. _Maybe I'm just psychic and my weird dreams are telling me the future?_   
  
Elizabeth went up to the counter and rang the little bell that sat there. 'Hello! Mr. Cotton?'   
  
_Cotton? Must've heard her wrong,_ Jack thought to himself.   
  
'Yes?' An older man with graying hair stepped out from the back room. 'Oh! Elizabeth, how have you been lately?'   
  
'I've been really good, thanks,' she replied. 'I've brought my friends with me. This is Will--I've mentioned him before--and this is my new friend, Jack.'   
  
'Pleased to meet you,' Cotton said. 'What can I get for you all today?'   
  
'I want a Chia latte, and...' She looked to Jack and Will. 'What do you two want?'   
  
'A Crowbar,' Jack said distractedly, staring at the parrot.   
  
'A what?'   
  
'A Crowbar-two or three shots of espresso, milk, chocolate syrup, and an orange slice,' he explained. '...Or a cappuccino.'   
  
'Will?'   
  
'Just a coffee will be fine for me.'   
  
'No, it won't,' Jack said. 'You like chocolate?'   
  
'Yes...,' Will replied uncertainly.   
  
'He'll have a mocha.'   
  
Elizabeth smirked at the undignified expression on Will's face at having decisions being made for him. She looked back at Cotton and said 'And just put it on my tab.'   
  
'Alright, go find yourselves a seat and I'll have them up in just a minute,' Cotton said.   
  
After Jack had them switch tables twice, he asked Elizabeth 'You have a tab?'   
  
She blushed lightly. 'Yea. I come here often enough, but I don't always have my money on me.'   
  
'So I can come here and tell him to just put it on your tab, right?'   
  
'No. Only I can put something on my tab.'   
  
'But you said I was your friend,' Jack said in a half whine.   
  
'Whether or not you're my friend has nothing to do with it,' she replied. 'It's the principle of the thing.'   
  
'A likely excuse.' The bell chimed, and Jack jumped to his feet. 'I'll get it,' he said and went to get the drinks.   
  
Elizabeth lightly kicked Will under the table. 'Well?'   
  
'Well what?' he asked, rubbing his ankle.   
  
She nodded her head at Jack. 'What's up between you two?'   
  
'N-nothing's up,' Will stammered.   
  
Elizabeth leaned back in her seat and gave Will a doubtful look. 'Really now.'   
  
'Yes, really.'   
  
'Really?' Jack set Elizabeth's Chai latte in front of her and his cappuccino in front of himself as he sat down.   
  
'And where's mine?' Will asked, pointing out his lack of beverage.   
  
'Sorry, luv. I only have two hands, and I have my priorities,' Jack replied. 'Me, then perhaps a young lady. And you, sir, are not a young lady. Not unless there's something you failed to mention earlier.'   
  
Will rolled his eyes and got up to get his drink.   
  
The moment Will's back was turned, Jack slipped a piece of paper in front of Elizabeth. 'Call me later,' he said quietly.   
  
Elizabeth picked up the paper and looked at it. It had Jack's phone number scrawled across it. 'Is that a four or a nine?'   
  
'A nine.'   
  
'And why am I calling you?'   
  
'Because you know you want to.'   
  
She sighed and tucked the paper into her pocket. 'If I remember.'   
  
Will sat down again. 'Why are you talking about me?'   
  
'We weren't talking about you,' Elizabeth said.   
  
'And why would you suspect that? Unless, of course, the two of you were talking about me while I was gone,' Jack said with a knowing smirk. 'What did you say about me anyway?'   
  
'Nothing,' Will replied.   
  
'Nothing? Elizabeth, care to differ?'   
  
'No, we were talking about Will,' she said.   
  
'Ah, but it somehow involved me, didn't it?'   
  
Will looked away in discomfort. 'Why does it matter?'   
  
'Because I love you bunches and want to make sweet, passionate love to you on a bearskin rug in front of the fireplace in a cabin in the mountains,' Jack said with a straight face. He grinned at Will's blush and added 'I'm sorry, did I say that out loud?'   
  
'Yes, but I wouldn't mind having the details,' Elizabeth said with a smile.   
  
'Well, you see, Will and I would take a road trip to the mountains, inevitably getting irritated at each other while in the car. Then, once at our destination, we'd find ourselves a cabin and go inside, finding a bearskin rug on the floor in front of the fireplace. We'd be cold, so we'd light a fire to warm up. It'd be so romantic that he'd jump me,' Jack explained.   
  
'I wouldn't jump you!'   
  
'My mistake. You would trip me and then fall on top of me.'   
  
Will's blush deepened and he put all his attention into drinking his mocha. _He would bring that up, wouldn't he?_   
  
'But that would be before you insisted on covering me with chocolate syrup so you could lick it off,' Jack continued.   
  
Will choked on his drink as the image of Jack smothered in chocolate ran through his head. It didn't help that he saw himself licking it off with Jack flushed and making moaning noises beneath him. 'I hate you...,' he hissed out.   
  
'But I love you,' Jack said, wrapping his arms around Will and snuggling up to him.   
  
Will squirmed out of Jack's hold and landed himself on the floor. 'What do you think you're doing?!'   
  
'Giving you a hug, 'cuz you need one.'   
  
'I don't need one, and I think you were doing more than just hugging.' Will stood up and took his seat, scooting further away from Jack. _And here I thought I was safe!_   
  
'You're acting like I groped you or something. Honestly, it's not like I bit you again,' Jack pointed out.   
  
'Wait, he bit you?' Elizabeth asked Will.   
  
'I don't want to talk about it.'   
  
She looked to Jack for an answer, but he shook his head. _Damn! I wanna know what they're talking about! Jack is so getting a call from me tonight._   
  
They spent about an hour at the café before leaving. They got back in the car, and Elizabeth directed Jack on how to get to a certain bookstore for a book she needed. Jack waited outside, smoking a cigarette as Elizabeth and Will went in.   
  
'So do you like him?' she asked Will as she searched for her book.   
  
Will looked out the store window at Jack's back. 'He's nice. Forward, but nice,' he replied, picking out Elizabeth's book for her.   
  
'Thanks. But do you like him?'   
  
'Define "like."'   
  
'Do you think he's cute?'   
  
'I--I'm not answering that.'   
  
'_I_ think he's cute. If I wasn't already committed to Sam, I'd totally be putting the moves on Jack,' she said with a wink.   
  
'I'm sure you would.'   
  
'Loosen up! It's obvious that he likes you.'   
  
'You have no idea...,' Will muttered.   
  
'What do you mean?'   
  
'I...he... When you dropped me off at his apartment, something happened,'   
  
'Oh? What?'   
  
'He...tripped on a phone cord, and I tried to help him, but I ended up falling with him--on top of him.'   
  
'And...?'   
  
'And then he kissed me.'   
  
'And what did you do?'   
  
'I...I kissed back,' he replied quietly.   
  
'That's not so bad,' Elizabeth said encouragingly.   
  
'Oh, it doesn't end there,' he assured her and continued. 'He flipped us over, so that I was on bottom, and then he...started licking me.'   
  
'Licking you?'   
  
'Yea. Then he bit me, and then I had one of my dreams, and I pushed him off. I think I offended him or something.'   
  
'What was your dream about that time?'   
  
Will's cheeks reddened. 'The other me and the other him were...having sex,' he replied quietly. 'I was hoping that we weren't, but...we were. Does that make me perverted or something?'   
  
'No. It means you're normal,' she replied. 'It's perfectly normal to dream about having sex with someone you like.'   
  
'In case you haven't noticed, these dreams aren't normal.'   
  
'Have you even looked at the book I gave you?'   
  
'I looked at the introduction.'   
  
'Try skimming through the chapters. Don't just read it--a lot of it is really boring.'   
  
They went up to the register, and Elizabeth paid for her book. Once they were back outside, they found Jack terrorizing a beetle on the wall.   
  
'We're back,' Elizabeth announced.   
  
'Took you long enough.' Jack stretched and yawned. 'Where to next?'   
  
'Actually, I have to get home. My dad's having people over for dinner, so I have to be there and make a good impression and all that jazz,' she replied.   
  
'I should get home, too,' Will added.   
  
'OK, so I guess you'll both be going to church tomorrow morning also?' Jack asked.   
  
'Always do,' Elizabeth said. 'Don't you?'   
  
'I haven't been to church since... Actually, I can't really remember the last time I've been to church.'   
  
Elizabeth sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. 'And I was going to invite you to sit with us.'   
  
'Thanks, but no thanks. Last thing I need is a self-righteous Christian that thinks their denomination is the only right one beating me to a pulp because God makes an exception in the loving everyone rule when it comes to those of differing sexual preference,' Jack explained. 'Not looking forward to being the latest victim in a hate crime.'   
  
'Oh. Then I guess I can understand that,' she said.   
  
Jack proceeded to drop Elizabeth off at her house then drove Will to his. Jack pulled up in front of Will's house. 'So...gonna invite me in?'   
  
Will bit his lip and looked from Jack to his house. His father's car was in the dive way, and he was almost certain that his mother had already told him everything that she heard and saw. _He'll probably want to meet Jack. Better get it over with sooner than later._ He shrugged and asked 'Do you want to come in?'   
  
'Never thought you'd ask! Lead the way,' he said as they got out of the car and went to the door.   
  
Will opened the door and looked around. There was no sign of his parents in the immediate area. He walked further in and closed the door once Jack was in. 'You remember the entry.'   
  
'Yes. Lovely decorating. Did you do it?' Jack asked teasingly.   
  
'Actually, I helped.'   
  
'Will, you're home earlier than I expected.' Will's mother looked from Will to Jack. 'And you brought your friend. I'm sorry, I've forgotten your name.'   
  
'Jack,' he replied.   
  
'Ah, yes. I knew it was something short and easy to remember,' she said. 'Would you like to stay for dinner, Jack?'   
  
Will looked at his mother in shock. _Why...? Nevermind, I know exactly why. Evil woman. Tricky, evil woman._   
  
'I'd love to, but I should probably call my mom and let her know,' Jack replied.   
  
'Yes, that would be a good idea,' she agreed. 'Is there anything you particularly like?'   
  
'Not really; I'll eat whatever you put in front of me. I'm not picky when it comes to food.'   
  
'Great, dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes.' She left Jack and Will and went to the kitchen, where her husband was reading the paper. 'Bill! He's here. That boy I was telling you about. Jack.'   
  
'Oh?' He looked up with interest.   
  
'Yes, I invited him to stay for dinner,' she said proudly.   
  
'I suppose you want me to go and interview him?'   
  
'Would you?' she asked with a false sweetness.   
  
He sighed and got up from his seat and headed out of the kitchen to the living room, where he found Will and Jack sitting on the couch watching T.V. Jack had his legs propped up on Will's lap. He sat in the armchair near them. 'So you must be Jack?'   
  
Jack looked at Bill with a raised brow. 'Yes...? Why?'   
  
'No reason.'   
  
'Uh-huh.'   
  
'So you go to school with Will?'   
  
'Yea. Share a locker with him.'   
  
'Is that how you two met?'   
  
'Yea.'   
  
He nodded and tried to think of what else to say. 'Well, I best be helping with dinner,' Bill said and got up and left the room. _She can 'interview' him herself._   
  
Jack looked at Will with a big grin. 'You never told me your dad was British.'   
  
'Does it matter?'   
  
'Go on, say something English!'   
  
'Something English,' Will said sarcastically.   
  
'You know that's not what I meant,' Jack pouted. 'Just say something. Anything. Tell me to piss off.'   
  
Will sighed and looked over at Jack. 'Why don't you go suck on one of your fags?' he asked in an English accent. _I think that came out completely wrong..._   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: The jingley bell thing is my own sad obsession with the damned things. I have bells sitting everywhere in my room, and at least two on my keychain.  
Seattle was chosen 'cuz I wanna move there. I heart rain, coffee, and port city. Imports!  
Massachusetts was chosen 'cuz I was born there. The location of Port Whisk (as I've decided) is somewhere between Hyannis and Chatham.  
Why is Jack on a six year plan? He explains it himself--not just skipping and refusing to do assignments. (Nope, that's my reason, but I graduated ontime--barely. Heh-heh. Straight A student now!)  
...Oh, yea! Yes, Sam is Norrington. And after the release of the DVD, and finding out his first name, I had to come up with a back story for him being called 'Sam' rather than 'James.' *nods* (But I'm not going to bother chaging it or explaining it in _Crimson Ways_.)  
And an apology: 'Say something English!' is all me. @.@ I really, really like British accents...really.  
Can't think of anything else, but if you can, then say something, and I'll try to remember to address it in the next chapter.  



	8. Dinner's for Suckers

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Dinner's fo Suckers' is a None More Black song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: No phone conversation with Lizzie and Jack. Sorry. Instead, fun with wax!  
  
_AN_: Ignore my blatantly obvious love of _Twin Peaks_. The muse made me do it. I also named Will's mother 'Sara.' Dunno why, though.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Dinner's for Suckers_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


'I can think of one fag I wouldn't mind sucking on,' Jack replied huskily as he took his legs off of Will's lap and began to crawl towards him.   
  
Will tried to back away from Jack, but quickly found himself pinned against the arm of the couch. 'I didn't mean it like that, and you know it,' Will said, still in accent.   
  
'Information easily discarded. Especially when you're talking like that.' Jack lightly brushed Will's lips with his own as he spoke.   
  
Will resisted the urges that were building up within him and pushed Jack off of him to arms' length. 'Jack, please. _Not_ when my parents are in the other room,' he said sternly.   
  
Jack grinned and pressed forward. 'Then you admit that you like me?'   
  
'Yes, I like you, but as a friend at most. I'm just... Before I met you, I thought I was straight,' Will explained. 'And now...now, I'm not so certain. Can't we just be friends for now? Let me get used to the idea that I _might_ be attracted to you.'   
  
Jack lifted his weight from Will and slumped back on his side of the couch. 'Works for me,' he agreed. 'I'm sure you're worth waiting for, but I must warn you...'   
  
Will waited for Jack to finish his sentence, but he didn't. 'About...?' he prompted.   
  
'I'm impatient,' he said as he lurched forward, pretending to jump Will.   
  
Will jumped off the couch before he realized Jack was joking. 'Don't do that!'   
  
'But it's so much fun to tease you.'   
  
'Shouldn't you call your mom and let her know where you are?' Will asked, changing the subject.   
  
'I suppose...,' he replied and got to his feet. 'At least let her know I haven't hung myself. Where's your phone?'   
  
'Kitchen.' Will led the way to the kitchen. He took the phone off the receiver and handed it to Jack.   
  
Jack dialed his number--twice, due to dialing a four rather than a nine the first time around. 'It's me. I'm just callin' to say I won't be home for dinner. ... Who and where? ... I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. ... Not really, but it might as well be. So tell me. ... Same with me, sorta. Will's mother invited me to stay for dinner. ... Will. From school. ... No, he's nothing like him. ... I was not! ... Yea, whatever. Keep telling yourself that.' Jack blushed lightly at whatever his mother said next. 'Like I'd tell you! And it's not like that anyway! I'll see you tonight or tomorrow. Bye.' He hung up the phone, looking rather disgruntled.   
  
'What was that all about?' Will asked.   
  
'Nothing important.'   
  
'It sounded important,' Mrs. Turner said from behind Jack, causing him to jump.   
  
'My mom likes to pry,' Will explained.   
  
'It's in the job description,' she said. 'Will, could you set the table?'   
  
Will nodded and went to the dining room with Jack right on his heels.   
  
'I'll help,' he offered.   
  
'If you must,' Will replied with a shrug, handing Jack a stack of plates. 'They go in front of the seat.'   
  
'I know where they go,' Jack said with an undignified huff. 'I'm not completely uncivilized.'   
  
'So you admit to being uncivilized?'   
  
'Only if you admit that you love me.'   
  
Will shook a fork threateningly at Jack and said 'I like you, not love you.'   
  
'Oh, good. Because I don't love you either,' Jack said as he straightened the last plate.   
  
Will faltered in what he was doing. _But he said..._ He shook the thought from his head and went back to placing the silverware around the plates with a determined look. _What does it matter anyway? It's not like I know him all that well anyway. Bastard. He does this just to get under my skin!_   
  
Jack noticed Will's inner torment and smirked with glee. He edged closer to Will and said quietly 'I'm in love with you.'   
  
Will's breath caught in his throat. His head shot up and he turned to Jack, who was much closer than he thought. 'W-what?'   
  
Jack leaned forward until their noses touched. 'You heard me.'   
  
A throat cleared, and they both looked to see Will's mother uncomfortably averting her eyes from them. Will hurriedly stepped away from Jack. 'I-it's not what it looks like,' Will stammered.   
  
'Curses. Foiled again,' Jack muttered.   
  
Will snapped his attention back to Jack. 'What?!'   
  
'Hm? I didn't say anything,' Jack replied innocently.   
  
'Dinner's ready,' Mrs. Turner said as she set the bowl she was carrying on the table. _So much for grandchildren._   
  
The table was set and everyone had been served. Will was slowly pecking away at his salad as his parents tried to press him and Jack for information.   
  
'So what brings your family to Port Whisk?' Mrs. Turner asked Jack.   
  
'This is my mom's hometown, and she thought it'd be a good idea to drag me along,' Jack replied as he let his foot make it's way over to Will's, only to have it promptly stepped on. 'She got a job as a secretary...somewhere.'   
  
'Oh? And who is mother?'   
  
'Daisy Sparrow.'   
  
'Daisy...?' She tried to remember why she knew the name. 'Not Daisy Jo Sparrow?!'   
  
'You know her?'   
  
'You said you were a senior?' _It can't be the same Daisy Sparrow... That's much too young!_   
  
'Yea. Why?' Jack asked, clearly confused.   
  
'How old are you?'   
  
'Nineteen.' _Where is she going with this?_   
  
'But that would make her...seventeen!'   
  
'Oh, that. I was wondering what you were getting at.'   
  
She stared at Jack in disbelief, torn between pity for Jack and disgust for Daisy at getting pregnant so young.   
  
'And what does your father do?' Bill asked, hoping he'd distract his wife from going on a ranting rampage.   
  
'Pushes up daisies,' Jack replied nonchalantly.   
  
Will gagged on his drink, and Jack reached over to pat him on the back. 'I-I'm sorry,' he said in-between coughs, 'I think I heard you wrong.'   
  
'He's dead,' Jack reiterated.   
  
'Oh, my. I'm so sorry,' Mrs. Turner said. _He must have had such a harsh childhood, but he comes off so optimistic._   
  
'How...?,' Bill asked. 'If you don't mind my asking.'   
  
'Not at all. Though I doubt that it's dinner table discussion,' Jack replied as he looked about the table. 'But seeing as how it looks that Will and I are the only ones still munching away, I suppose there won't be any loss of appetite.'   
  
'You know us teenagers and our unquenchable thirst for more food,' Will agreed with a sarcastic undertone.   
  
Jack nodded with a big smile, Will's true meaning going completely over his head. 'Anyway, he was stabbed about six or seven times, but that was after his kneecaps were blown off with a shotgun. They found his body on a river bank, naked and wrapped in plastic.'   
  
The Turners gaped at how easily Jack had explained away something that had to have been a major trauma in his life, yet Jack continued to shovel another forkful of food into mouth like he'd never said a word. Bill was the first to find his voice. 'Wr-wrapped in...plastic?'   
  
'Yea, plastic. Pretty bizarre, huh?' he said distractedly.   
  
'I think you've dissuaded me from plastic for the rest of my life,' Will said as he pushed his plate away. _That can't be true... I'll have to ask him later._   
  
'You poor thing! How old were you when it happened?' Mrs. Turner asked.   
  
'It happened about a month before I was born.'   
  
'...How about a change in subject? Dessert anyone?' She looked around, but no one seemed interested. She stood and gathered a few dishes and headed into the kitchen.   
  
Bill got up as well and began to follow her.   
  
'I'll help,' Jack offered.   
  
'No, you're a guest,' Bill replied. 'You two can sit here and...talk.' He quickly disappeared into the kitchen.   
  
Will looked over to Jack. 'So was that true?'   
  
'Was what true?'   
  
'What you said about your father.'   
  
'Yea. Why?'   
  
'Just wondering.' Will looked down.   
  
'I'm dishonest, but not _that_ dishonest. And I don't need your pity points,' Jack stated with a snap.   
  
'I never said I was giving you pity points.'   
  
'No, but you were thinking it.'   
  
Will rolled his eyes and scoffed. 'Whatever. You are so self-absorbed.'   
  
'Only when need be,' Jack replied and leaned towards Will, hooking his leg around Will's.   
  
'My parents are in the next room,' Will said through gritted teeth.   
  
'There's always your room,' Jack whispered.   
  
'No, there's not.'   
  
'My room.'   
  
'No.'   
  
'Car?'   
  
'No.'   
  
'Then where would work for you?'   
  
Will sighed in dismay. 'How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not interested right now.'   
  
'If you weren't interested, you wouldn't be so nice to me. Or so lenient in what you let me get away with when it concerns you,' Jack pointed out as he lightly ran a hand up Will's arm.   
  
'As...as a friend,' Will insisted, shivering from the touch. _Dammit. He does have a point, though._   
  
'Perhaps more.' Jack let his hand venture to Will's neck and pulled him closer.   
  
'Perhaps later. Much later.'   
  
'What's wrong with now?' Jack asked, bringing them closer.   
  
'Everything.' Will ducked under Jack's hand and stood up. 'For one, as I said before, my parents are in the next room. Also, I'm not ready, and I expect you to respect my choice.'   
  
Jack leaned back in his chair and observed Will. 'I respect your choice, but what about my choice? Do you respect it?'   
  
'Stop twisting my words like that.'   
  
'I'm not twisting any words.'   
  
'It's supposed to be a one-sided thing, so don't try to get me to commit to anything I'm not ready for.'   
  
'What if I got you drunk, and you insisted on doing something that you are currently insisting against doing?'   
  
'Then I would hope that your supposed love for me ran deep enough to not listen to me.'   
  
'What about now?'   
  
'What _about_ now?'   
  
'What if you were drunk? Then I would have to go against your wishes and do the exact opposite of what you are currently requesting, forcing me to take advantage of you in any given situation, but, seeing as how you are sober and not in a drunken state, you want me to not listen to you when you are intoxicated with alcohol and listen to you when you are as you are now. However, when you become drunk you will wish for the opposite, and I must listen to you because you are most likely very persuasive when drunk, thereby throwing me into a dilemma. So, I chose to listen to the drunken version of you, seeing as that is the one that knows what you truly desire, giving me permission, where you originally refused to do so, to do as I please with you, when I please. Right?'   
  
'Right.'   
  
'Very well then,' Jack said with a big grin. He got to his feet and quickly pressed his lips to Will's.   
  
_He tricked me!_ He could feel his body betray him, leaning closer and participating quite enthusiastically. He parted his lips, letting Jack's tongue slip into his mouth.   
  
Jack wrapped one arm around Will's waist and ran his other hand through Will's hair. _Not interested, my ass,_ he thought amusedly as he teased Will's tongue with his own.   
  


~Meanwhile in the kitchen~

  
  
Will's mother was about to collect the rest of the dishes from the dining room, but changed her mind upon seeing her son making out with the other boy.   
  
'You all right there, Sara?' Bill asked, seeing her flustered look.   
  
'Will...um...' She tried to motion with her hands, but was failing miserably. 'He's...and Jack...together...'   
  
'Oh. Is that all?' Bill asked, realizing what she meant.   
  
'What do you mean "is that all?!"'   
  
'I'll stop them if you want.'   
  
'Yes, go do that. And bring the dishes with you when you're done.'   
  
_Dishes? Somehow I think that's all she really wanted. Strange set of priorities._ He wandered out into the dining room. He was slightly shocked at how passionately the two were kissing. His presence went unnoticed and he smirked at an idea that crept into head. He stepped beside them and clapped them both on the shoulder. 'So! Having fun?'   
  
Jack jumped back and tripped over his own two legs, landing on the floor. He pointed up at Bill accusingly. 'You, sir, are evil!'   
  
'I do my best.' He turned to Will, who had also jumped back a foot or so and was blushing furiously. Bill raised a questioning eyebrow at him.   
  
'I--he--I mean... I'm sorry,' Will said and looked at the ground.   
  
'As you should be,' Bill said sternly. 'Your mother was looking forward to having grandchildren.'   
  
'Didn't you know?' Jack said s he picked himself back up. 'We're adopting a little girl from China--they're cheap and grateful.'   
  
'And what are you planning to name her?' Bill asked, playing along.   
  
'I'm not exactly sure. We haven't really discussed that yet. Still deciding on curtains, you know.'   
  
'Who is this "we?"' Will asked, glaring at Jack and his father. _Both of them! They're both out to get me! My own father!_   
  
'Why you and me, of course,' Jack replied with an endearing smile. 'Or don't you want to be my boyfriend?'   
  
'B-b-boyfriend?! I--!' Will looked o his father, not sure what to say in his defense. 'Dad, I--'   
  
'You're gay?' He patted Will on the back reassuringly. 'I believe we already had that discussion. The only thing that's changed is that you are over your denial.'   
  
'No, he's still in denial,' Jack disagreed. 'Mentally, that is.'   
  
'Just out of curiosity,' Bill said, 'what would happen if we were to tie your hands behind your back?'   
  
Jack looked at him in confusion. 'Is that a bondage question of something?'   
  
'No, I'm just wondering if you'd still be able to talk.'   
  
Will grinned at the insulted look on Jack's face. 'Highly doubtful,' he said. _Jack tied to a bed...interesting thought._ Though interesting, it spurred one of his dreams into action.   
  
There he was, the other, older him, in a candlelit room, looming over the pirate Jack with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. _Not again... As long I don't freak out this time, no one will notice._ The pirate Jack was tied to a bed, arms and legs bound to the posts. He was pulling at them as he threw threats at the other Will.   
  
'You bloody planned this, whelp! See if I ever go drinking with you again!'   
  
'Now, now, _Captain_ Sparrow,' Will said, 'there's no use in struggling. You did teach me how to tie a secure knot. Remember?'   
  
'Aye, I remember. Regret it, too.'   
  
Will took up a nearby candle and got onto the bed, straddling the pirate's hips. 'When I was younger, my mother said that I should be a painter,' he commented reminiscently. 'But I never much liked the mediums I had to choose from.'   
  
'So yer goin' to paint on me with wax?'   
  
'Is there any reason why I shouldn't?'   
  
'Because I should be the one doin' the paintin'.'   
  
Will chuckled and leaned down. 'Poor little Sparrow. Don't like not being in control, do you?'   
  
'William...,' Jack warned.   
  
Will sat up with a satisfied smirk. 'I'm going to enjoy this.'   
  
Jack narrowed his eyes at Will--Will's only warning before Jack bucked his hips, unbalancing Will.   
  
Will fell forward and the wax from the candle dripped back and onto his exposed arm.   
  
'Ow!' Will slapped his hand over where the wax had hit the other him. His eyes refocused and he saw Jack and his father looking at him with concern.   
  
'What's wrong?' Jack asked.   
  
Will let go of the burning area on his arm and put on a smile. 'Nothing. I just zoned out and spazzed,' he said.   
  
'Uh-huh...' Jack glanced at a clock on the wall and stretched. 'Well, I'd best be off.'   
  
'Yea, it is getting kinda late,' Will agreed and walked Jack to the door. 'So I'll see you...?'   
  
'Monday. I'm gonna get lost tomorrow and see what else there is around here,' Jack said as he stepped out on the doorstep. He turned back to Will and stared at him expectantly.   
  
Will stared back and slightly shook his head. 'What?'   
  
'No goodbye kiss?'   
  
Will sighed and leaned towards Jack, placing a light kiss on his cheek. 'Happy?'   
  
'Well, if that's the best you can do...'   
  
'At the moment? Yes.'   
  
'Then let me give you a goodbye kiss.'   
  
'Go home, Jack.'   
  
'Right. Then expect me to be giving you a hello kiss on Monday,' Jack said as he turned and went to his car.   
  
Will closed the door and leaned against it. The day had been pretty busy for him, and he was feeling exhausted. He lifted his arm, the stinging burn from the wax in his dream was slowly fading. He pulled his sleeve back and examined the red marks in the shapes of splatters. _Why am I having these dreams...?_   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: Eh-heheheh... ^.^;; Where did that dream sequence come from?! Also, I named Jack's mom after a My Little Pony. 


	9. Seperate Ways

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Seperate Ways' is a Faye Wong song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Phone conversation. Sorry for any confusion. More mention of a candle kink. ^__^ Yay! Candles! (I personally really like candles, but not /that/ much.)  
  
_AN_: Um... Point out any mistakes--barely caught a couple myself.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Seperate Ways_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Jack arrived back at the apartment and fumbled with the key to get in. Once inside, he threw himself on the couch like a giddy schoolgirl. He sighed happily as he stared at the ceiling, remembering the events of that evening--mostly of the kiss he stole from Will. 'Next time, I'll make certain there'll be absolutely _no_ interruptions,' he swore to himself.   
  
He rolled off the couch and made his way to the bathroom to wash the makeup from his face. He was busily working off the last bit of eyeliner when the phone rang. It rang two more times before he got to it. 'Aye?'   
  
'Um... May I speak to Jack?' the voice on the other side asked. Jack recognized it as Elizabeth.   
  
'You may, but do you really want to?'   
  
'Jack? Is that you? Don't fool around like that.'   
  
'I can "fool around" however I damn well please, thank you.'   
  
'So why did you want me to call you?'   
  
'The question isn't why I wanted you to call me, it's why did you decided to call me,' he quipped.   
  
'I called because you asked me to.'   
  
'And do you always do what people ask you to?'   
  
'As long as it's within reason, yes.'   
  
'Oh, in that case...'   
  
'No.'   
  
'But you didn't even let me ask my question!'   
  
'Knowing you, it'd be something outrageous, but you would phrase it as if it were nothing.'   
  
'... You don't know that for sure.'   
  
'Oh, yes, I do.'   
  
'Women's intuition?'   
  
'No, but close enough,' she replied. 'Why am I calling again?'   
  
'Because you want to give me more information on Will. His likes, dislikes, etceteras.'   
  
'I'm sorry, I can't! I'd like to, but I just can't,' she said with sincerity.   
  
'Why not?'   
  
'It would be considered meddling, and I promised Sam that I wouldn't meddle any more than I already have.'   
  
'Meddle with what?' he asked.   
  
'Will's love life.'   
  
'Will's currently nonexistent love life?'   
  
'Yea, that one,' she said with a laugh.   
  
'What about my love life? You haven't promised anything about that, have you?'   
  
She thought for a moment. 'No...but I think that's cheating.'   
  
'And your point is...?'   
  
'My point is... I have no point. Will loves swords, candles, and long walks on the beach.'   
  
'Interesting mix.'   
  
'He thinks he wants to go into making swords, but he doesn't know why and that bugs him.'   
  
'Because he wants to go on a killing spree?' he suggested.   
  
'No, I don't think that's the reason. He was really good in metals shop, but it just wasn't satisfying for him to make stupid little things that had no point.'   
  
'OK. What about the candles?'   
  
'Candle anything. Scented, unscented, drip, no drip. You name it, he has one. You know...I think he has a candle kink. You should see his room.'   
  
'I don't think I much like the thought of having hot wax poured on me.'   
  
'But it's so much fun! You should wax your legs sometime.'   
  
'I did that once. It hurt. A lot.'   
  
'But you had pretty legs afterward, right?'   
  
'Yea. Silky smooth. But it hurt.'   
  
'Try being a woman. Beauty comes at a high price. Monetarily and physically. Just think of corsets; women wore those things to look more beautiful, and all it caused them was pain and fainting spells,' she explained moodily.   
  
'Well, as long as you avoided stairs and cliffs you should have been fine.'   
  
'I suppose so. But for how long?'   
  
'At least until the zombies came to get you,' he idly replied.   
  
'And why would there be zombies after me?'   
  
'Because they want your brains?'   
  
'My brains?'   
  
'Yea, your brains. What? Haven't you ever seen a zombie movie? Good, old fashioned horror flick with zombies.'   
  
'No.'   
  
'Oh, come on. Everyone's seen Night of the Living Dead.'   
  
'I don't like horror movies.'   
  
'You are so uncultured.'   
  
'Whatever,' she said dismissively. 'Anyway, what sort of things do you like?'   
  
'Why? Are you planning on getting me something?'   
  
'No, but I might accidentally let something slip around Will if I knew what you liked.'   
  
'In that case, I enjoy aroma therapy bath products--'   
  
'What?'   
  
'Aroma therapy,' he repeated. 'I like smelling pretty.'   
  
'Pretty?'   
  
'If you'd rather I'd smelled like an unwashed pirate, then fine.'   
  
'I'd rather you didn't. Continue.'   
  
'Anything black or dark red, and I like chocolate.'   
  
'Anything else?'   
  
'Gold, silver, anything expensive.'   
  
'Doesn't everyone, though?'   
  
'Yea, I suppose you're right.'   
  
'Well, I'll see what I can do as far as dropping subtle hints.'   
  
'Great! I'll see you at school, then!'   
  
'Right, bye.'   
  
'Ciao, luv.' He hung up the phone and sat on the couch, scratching the back of his neck. _Candle kink, huh? Don't think I'll be endorsing that, thank you._   
  


~Back at Will's...~

  
  
Will was about to head up the stairs to his room when his father stopped him.   
  
'So how long have you two been dating?'   
  
'We're not dating, and no, he's not my boyfriend,' Will said defensively.   
  
'Then what was with that display earlier?' Bill asked with a raised brow.   
  
Will looked away. He was at a loss for words. 'I don't know. He has this way of...I dunno...jumping me, but I initiate it, I guess.'   
  
'How so?'   
  
'He tricks me. That's the simplest way of putting it.'   
  
'Tricks you?' Bill asked. 'And you're alright with him doing that?'   
  
Will shrugged and smiled. 'I know it sounds stupid, but I like it. As much as I deny it, I'm happiest when I'm around him. I feel complete with him. If that makes any sense.'   
  
Bill smiled and nodded encouragingly. 'Then I'm glad for you. Your mother and I only want for you to be happy, and if this is what you want, then so be it.'   
  
'You know...I have to admit,' Will said, 'that I'm a little weirded out that you two are so understanding of this. More so than I am.'   
  
'As long as you're not into drugs or doing anything illegal, we figure that it's your life and you're old enough to know what's good for you. Oh, and one more thing,' Bill added. 'No more snogging where your mother and I are likely to walk in on you. And if you decide to go further than that, please remember to use protection.'   
  
Will blushed bright red and tried to sputter a response. 'I-I'm not--! H-he's...we're... Dad!!'   
  
'Just promise me,' he said in a serious tone.   
  
'In the unlikely case, yes! But right now... I'm going to bed!'   
  
'Don't let the bedbugs bite.'   
  
'Yea, whatever,' Will said as he headed upstairs to get ready for bed.   
  
Later that night, he flipped through the book Elizabeth loaned him. He stopped at a few sections that seemed of interest (one was about how dreams told the future). The realism of his dreams didn't match any of the descriptions listed throughout the book. A few were close, but they only talked about warmth, cold, and maybe smells. Nothing explained why he would wake up with marks on his body as if he'd been there in person.   
  
He gave it up as a lost cause and set the book on his nightstand. He turned of the lamp and waited for sleep to come. He was anxious about having another one of his dreams; he really wanted to see what would happen next.   
  
The dream came, and it opened with a storm. The dream wore on and eventually he was rowing a boat into a cave. Once on dry land again, he and pirate Jack made their way to an opening in the cave wall. Atop a mound of treasure in the center sat a large chest. Behind it stood who he assumed to be Barbossa and a young woman that looked a lot like Elizabeth. Now that he thought about it, his so-called 'bonnie lass' was named Elizabeth. He never thought about it before when he saw her being dragged away by pirates in one of his earlier dreams--he wasn't able to make out what she really looked like in the darkness and commotion.   
  
Jack left, telling Will to stay put, and meandered towards the gathering. Will, on the other hand, had other plans. He snuck up on Jack and whacked him in the head with an oar and went on to help Elizabeth, leaving Jack behind.   
  
Will, as himself, couldn't believe what he'd just done, yet he could. _I just left him to die... Well, I'm right. I'm better than just leverage. He deserved it,_ he kept telling himself, though it did nothing to comfort him.   
  
He and Elizabeth ended up on the Interceptor. Below deck, the events of his dream took a turn that he'd rather it hadn't. _That's too intimate! Get away from her! What?! Yes, do stop!!_ Thankfully, for Will, Elizabeth chose that moment to show him the medallion she'd stolen from him years ago, so the their intimate moment was short-lived.   
  
His dream continued to the point where the Black Pearl had caught up to them and he was stuck in the room that he and Elizabeth had previously occupied. Unfortunately, he ended up trapped there, and water began to fill the room. Will began to panic as he wondered whether or not he would die in real life if he were to drown in his dream. He never had the misfortune of finding out, for he managed to find a hole to escape through--and it was a good thing he did. He watched as the Interceptor exploded into a fiery frenzy as he climbed the side of the Black Pearl. He climbed the rest of the way and stood atop the railing. The scene played out, and Will watched with lament as they sailed away, leaving Jack and Elizabeth on an island to die. _Great... Turns out he's still alive, but he ends up walking the plank. And poor Lizzie...ends up getting stuck on an island with him. So who pulled the short straw? Her or me?_   
  
He and the crew were led below. The crew was stuffed into their one cell, and Will was thrown into the other. He awoke with the clang of the iron door shutting and locking behind him.   
  
He opened his eyes and stared at the digital clock on his nightstand. It took him a few minutes to understand that it was just after six. He grumbled a complaint and turned to his other side and stared at the wall. He was hoping for a more interesting dream. Sure, it was interesting, but he wanted more to see Jack than Lizzie. And now, where it was left, Jack and Elizabeth were on a tropical island paradise together. That thought made him seethe with jealousy.   
  
_**I** should be the one on that island with Jack, not her. It's **my** dream. Even in my dreams, the world's against me._ He glared at the wall, unsure as to why he was letting it get to him so. _Maybe it's just me telling myself that I need to be more honest with him. With myself. I do like him...but it's just so sudden._   
  


~In the meantime...~

  
  
Jack lay sprawled across his bed, having his side of the dream. He had been startled awake by Will thwacking him upside the head, but fell right back to sleep despite the pounding headache. He was rather enjoying being on the island with Elizabeth. He got to dance around a bonfire singing a ridiculous song while drunk, which wasn't so bad. At least, not when compared to Elizabeth burning the rum.   
  
'The rum...the trees... ...The rum!! What is wrong with this girl?! Shoot her!' he yelled at himself. 'Oh, yes don't shoot her. Save the little pyro for later. Bet she'll taste absolutely divine roasted over that bloody fire of hers.'   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: So ends the chapter. Luckily, the evil muse didn't pop up with any ideas other than thoughts of fetish. No...she's waiting for later chapters. 


	10. Every Morning

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Every Morning' is a Cranberries song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Church. And Jack's full name. ^.^;;  
  
_AN_: I'm basing the church interior on the church I went when in Germany--no one sat in the balcony really from what I recall, so that's why our heroes sit there.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Every Morning_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Jack's mother let herself into Jack's room around seven and opened the curtains, letting the light pour in. Jack groaned and turned over, away from the obnoxious light. His mother, on the other hand, would not be so easily ignored. She went to his bedside and stated shaking his shoulder. 'C'mon, Jack. Time to get up.'   
  
'I thought it was Sunday,' he mumbled into his pillow.   
  
'It is; we're going to church,' she explained, turning to Jack's dresser to find clothes for him to wear.   
  
Jack sat up looked at his mother in curiosity. 'Since when did Daisy Jo Sparrow decide to return to church?'   
  
'Since I was invited to.'   
  
'Well, I wasn't, so I have to stay home. Too bad,' he said as he lay back down and pulled the sheets up to his neck.   
  
'I'm inviting you,' she said. 'At least drop me off, then get me after an hour.'   
  
'Take the bus,' Jack said, trying to get comfortable again.   
  
'Do they have one here?'   
  
'How should I know?'   
  
'Then we have to take the car.'   
  
'Keys are on the floor in that corner.' He pointed to the opposite corner of the room.   
  
'I can't drive a stick, and you know that.'   
  
'Then get an automatic.'   
  
'If I had the money, I would.' She went back over to Jack and pulled the sheets off him. 'Jack, please! You only have to drop me off. You can go smoke somewhere, vandalize something, graffiti... Hell, you can even fuck some boy in the middle of the parking lot for all I care!'   
  
Jack sat back up and smirked at his mother as he chuckled.   
  
'What's so funny?'   
  
'You said "fuck,"' he replied.   
  
Her eyes widened and she slapped Jack. 'What did I tell you about using such language?! _I_ didn't raise you like that,' she ranted, 'and as long as you're living under _my_ roof, you will _not_ be permitted to talk like that! You _will_ be joining me for church today.'   
  
'Y-yes, ma'am,' he stuttered as he rubbed his cheek and tried to scoot back against the wall.   
  
'Good. Now get dressed in something decent,' she said and left the room.   
  
Jack pushed himself off the bed and trudged over to his closet. He rummaged through the closet until he found something suitable to where. He then locked himself in the bathroom for about ten minutes. When he emerged, his mother beamed at him proudly.   
  
'See? You clean up so nicely,' she said, looking him over. _If only he'd stop wearing the makeup... I do hope it's just a phase._   
  
He was wearing a pair of black dress pants, slightly scuffed black dress shoes, and an untucked black silk shirt that had oriental dragons embroidered into it with metallic red floss. He looked especially sulky with the smudged eyeliner around his eyes. 'If you're quite ready...'   
  
'Quite.'   
  
They reached the church somewhat early, and Daisy quickly made her way inside.   
  
The moment she was out of earshot, Jack began cursing away and kicked one of the tires on his car. After he realized what he'd just kicked he crouched down to inspect the potential damage. 'I'm sorry, Pearl... I'm not mad at you; I'm mad at that woman,' he apologized and patted the side of the car. He stood and began to walk towards the church steps.   
  
'Jack?' a voice asked from behind him once he was up a couple steps.   
  
Jack turned to see Will and his family right behind him. 'Yes, I'm Jack,' he replied then yawned. 'I think.'   
  
Will's parents walked past him, and his father squeezed his shoulder as they did. He looked at Bill and caught the smile he gave him. Will looked back to Jack and said 'I thought you said you weren't coming.'   
  
'I wasn't,' Jack said as he leaned against the railing.   
  
'Then why are you here?' Will walked towards Jack, and Jack stepped up a step, keeping at least one step between them.   
  
'Punishment,' he replied, pointing at his reddened cheek.   
  
Will frowned and reached to touch Jack's face, but thought better of it. 'What happened?'   
  
'I said "fuck" and got slapped, also loosing my choice in coming to church,' he explained.   
  
'Well, you can sit with Lizzie and me if you want,' Will offered.   
  
'I'd be delighted!'   
  
Will stepped up to the landing and looked down at Jack. He was a good two inches taller than Jack; he decided it made Jack look simply adorable.   
  
Jack leaned back and gave Will a look upon receiving an amused smile from the other boy. 'What?' he demanded.   
  
'Nothing. But how's the weather down there?'   
  
Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed. 'I'm not _that_ short.'   
  
'You're shorter than me,' Will pointed out.   
  
'Your point?'   
  
'No point,' he replied. He took a quick look around them. It was still a bit early, so no one else was currently in the vacinity. 'I just think it makes you look cute,' he said quietly, leaning towards Jack. 'And I especially like that shirt on you.'   
  
'Bet you can't wait to get it off me, eh?'   
  
Will blushed lightly and stood straight again with a cough. 'Right, well... Let's get inside?' He led Jack up the stairs just inside the entrance to the balcony. Sitting in the back row was Elizabeth, flipping through a magazine. 'Lizzie!'   
  
Elizabeth dropped her magazine on the floor and looked up at Will innocently. 'Oh, it just you,' she said with relief. She reached down and retrieved her magazine. 'You shouldn't scare people like that.'   
  
'You shouldn't read magazines in church,' Jack said with a smirk. 'Especially tattoo magazines. Lemme see.' He sat next to her and looked over her shoulder at the pictures of piercings and tattoos that littered the pages of the magazine.   
  
Will glared down at Elizabeth. _Why am I letting a stupid dream get to me like this?!_ He sighed and sat down next to Jack. He leaned against Jack, pretending to get a better view of Elizabeth's magazine.   
  
Shivers went through Jack's body as Will leaned against him. He smirked to himself and let his hand find Will's thigh. Will gasped and Jack's hand slipped up his thigh, towards his crotch. It would have gotten further, but Will's hand grabbed it and placed it on Jack's lap. Jack looked over at Will with an innocent smile. 'Something wrong?'   
  
'Keep your hands to yourself,' Will said. 'This is a church.'   
  
'Oh? How about afterwards?'   
  
'What are you talking about?'   
  
'Your house or mine, luv?' Jack asked, his hand stroking Will's as it held his other.   
  
'Neither!'   
  
'Will you two stop bickering?' Elizabeth asked.   
  
'We're not bickering, we're deciding where to go after church,' Jack replied.   
  
'I'm not going anywhere with you,' Will insisted.   
  
Elizabeth elbowed Jack to get his attention before he could reply with a reason for Will to join him somewhere. 'You should get this, Jack,' she said, pointing to a picture of a young woman with Jolly Roger flag tattooed on her bicep. 'It's so you.'   
  
Jack looked at the picture and nodded. 'It is a nice tattoo,' he complimented, 'but I already have one.'   
  
'You have a tattoo?' Will asked. 'Where?'   
  
Jack looked back at him and smiled. 'Remember: we're in church.'   
  
Will's eyes flickered downward. _I know for certain it's not on his upper body... Is it on his ass?_   
  
'Who cares where we are!' Elizabeth blurted. 'I wanna see it.'   
  
'Little miss high and mighty princess wants to see my tattoo? Alright,' he said with a shrug. He let go of Will's hand; he lifted his shirt and began to unbutton his pants.   
  
'J-Jack!' Will looked from Jack's hands to his face. _Please don't tell me he got his penis tattooed..._   
  
Jack smirked and slouched down. He pulled his pants and boxers down from his right hip. About where his leg connected to his hip was a tattoo. It was a black orb a little over an inch in diameter. The highlight of the orb was in the shape of a skull with a pair of swords crossed beneath it. 'And you thought it was on my cock.'   
  
Will blushed bright red. 'I did not,' he lied.   
  
Jack pulled his pants back up and rebuttoned them. 'Every time you lie, and angel loses it's wings,' Jack warned.   
  
'So that's why you wear the bell? To make up for all the lies you tell?' Will asked with a raised brow and smirk.   
  
Jack pouted at Will's remark. 'I don't lie that much.'   
  
'Sure, you don't,' Will said sarcastically. _He's really cute when he pouts,_ Will thought to himself. He leaned closer to Jack and lightly kissed his cheek.   
  
Jack was taken aback by the tenderness of Will's action and blushed lightly.   
  
'I always knew you were a queer.'   
  
Will's head snapped in the direction of the voice. In the row in front of them sat Anna. He felt a wave of relief rush over him.   
  
She smirked evilly at them. 'Oh, please, don't let me stop you,' she said, motioning with her hand for Jack and Will to continue.   
  
'Anna!' Elizabeth said disapprovingly.   
  
'Come on! As if _you_ didn't have your eyes glued on them,' she retorted.   
  
Elizabeth looked the other way, avoiding Will's questioning gaze.   
  
Anna propped her elbows on the back of the pew and placed her face on her hands. 'So? Continue already,' she coaxed.   
  
'I am _not_ doing anything for your voyeuristic pleasure,' Will spat out. _This girl needs a life._   
  
Jack on the other hand, had no problem with fulfilling Anna's request. He grinned and turned back to Will, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss.   
  
Will was caught off-guard and fell backward onto the pew seat. He struggled at first to get Jack off him, but lost his concentration for that task when Jack's tongue ran over the roof of his mouth. _Of all the places..._ He felt a strange ardor build up within him at the notion that anyone could easily see them.   
  
Jack momentarily pulled away, sucking on Will's bottom lip as he went. He stared down at Will's flushed face, smiling hungrily. He went to kiss him again, but was pulled back abruptly by the hair on the back of his neck. 'Owowow.' His face contorted in pain and he squirmed to get into a position that held less pain. He looked up to see the annoyed face of his mother. 'Hi, Mom,' he greeted with a pathetically forced smile.   
  
'Are you that oblivious to the world around you?' she asked.   
  
'Only when I'm occupied with something important,' he replied.   
  
'Jacky Jo Sparrow! You will not give me smart answers,' she scolded him and tightened her grip.   
  
Jack winced and hissed in pain. 'Yes, ma'am.'   
  
'Good. I won't be needing a ride home, so you can go off and do whatever as long as you're home by a decent time,' she said. She looked down at Will and smiled genuinely. 'You must be Will. It's a pleasure to meet you.'   
  
Will nodded uncertainly, not sure what to make of this woman.   
  
'If he gives you any trouble, just smack him one,' she said then released her grip and walked off.   
  
Jack collapsed back onto Will and massaged his aching neck. 'Ow...'   
  
'It's your own fault,' Anna said. 'She was standing there, clearing her throat and being polite about interrupting you.'   
  
'She coulda tapped me or something,' Jack commented as he sat up, still rubbing his neck. 'Damn, that hurt.'   
  
Will sat up and smirked at Jack. 'Jacky...Jo?'   
  
Jack shook a finger at Will and glared at him. 'Don't you even start...,' he warned.   
  
'Just curious is all,' Will said, putting his hands in front of him defensively. 'How...?'   
  
'If you must know, my mother wanted a girl and to name her "Jacqueline Jo," but she got me instead,' he said shortly.   
  
'Oh. Well, I like it,' Will said. 'I think it's cute.'   
  
Jack narrowed his eyes at Will and gave him a dirty look before slapping him upside the head.   
  
'Hey! What did you do that for?!'   
  
'Revenge,' Jack replied. 'Just be glad it wasn't an oar.'   
  
Will rubbed the spot where Jack hit him and frowned. He went over what Jack said and his breath caught. _'An oar?!' Like in my dream, but... Two people can't share the same dream. Can they?_ He stared at his lap and wondered if there was a way he could drag more information out of Jack without letting Jack know what he was doing. For all he knew, it was just a coincidence.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: Next chapter: The backstory as to why Jack has avoided church for so many years. *nods* 


	11. Woo Hoo

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Woo Hoo' is a The 5.6.7.8's song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Short. Dialog. (When no inspiration strikes, talk.)  
  
_AN_: In between playing FFX-2 and having messed up dreams where Capt. Jack Sparrow is a cowboy bandit person that tells his minions to recite tongue twisters eight times, I finally managed to get this thing out. ^.^;; Sorry it took me a while.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Woo Hoo_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


'So that was your mom, huh?' Elizabeth asked.   
  
Jack nodded. 'Why?'   
  
Elizabeth shrugged and smiled. 'Just wondering. She's very pretty; I can see where you get your good looks from.'   
  
'Thanks,' Jack said with a smile.   
  
'You said before that you don't go to church. What made you change your mind?' Elizabeth asked before Jack could turn back to Will.   
  
'I didn't change my mind. This is punishment,' Jack replied.   
  
'Oh? How so?' she asked, pressing for more information.   
  
'I said a bad word,' Jack said with an innocent pout.   
  
'I'm certain that's not all you said,' Elizabeth commented under her breath, loud enough for Jack to hear.   
  
'What's it matter to you anyway?'   
  
'I was just wondering. No reason to get all snappy with me.'   
  
'I'm not snappy.'   
  
'Whatever. So why don't you go to church?' she asked as she poked at his shoulder with her magazine rolled up.   
  
'Long story,' Jack said dismissively.   
  
'Come on, I wanna know, too,' Will said.   
  
'I don't want to talk about it,' Jack said as he crossed his arms over his chest in a huff.   
  
'But--'   
  
'Remember that explanation I gave you for why I didn't feel like attending church today?' Jack said, cutting Will off.   
  
Will thought for a moment, but couldn't really remember all of what Jack had said. 'Sorta.'   
  
'That's why.'   
  
'You got beat up, didn't you?' Anna asked with a broad smirk.   
  
'None of your damn business.'   
  
'Come off it. You got beat to a bloody pulp because you're gay. Happens all the time,' she said. 'Part of the joys of being a minority.'   
  
'Shouldn't.' Jack slouched further in the pew, making himself look even sulkier.   
  
'But it does,' Anna said pointedly. 'My cousin told me that this one kid at his school got hit upside the head with a baseball bat 'cuz he was oriental--he was an eighth grader if I remember right.'   
  
'Ouch...'   
  
'So what happened to you?'   
  
'As you so delicately put it, I was beaten to a bloody pulp.'   
  
Anna rolled her eyes and said 'I mean details.'   
  
'Black eye, broken ribs, sprained ankle, split lip, bloody nose...and general bruising,' Jack replied. 'Oh, and it was three against one if you wanna know the score.'   
  
'Jack...' Will didn't know how to react to what Jack had said. He wanted to take him in his arms and never let anything bad happen to him ever again, but he doubted that Jack would appreciate being coddled.   
  
'I'm fine now. It was four years ago,' Jack said to Will with a smile.   
  
'Did you at least get back at them? Or report them?' Elizabeth asked.   
  
'I think I was more concerned with getting away and trying to protect my vital organs than taking in the details of their faces. It's fight or flight, not stop and smell the pizza,' Jack said, glaring at Elizabeth for even bringing up the subject.   
  
'Well, at least you don't have to worry about that here,' she said.   
  
'Why? Y'all gonna protect poor widdle defenseless me?'   
  
Elizabeth sighed and replied. 'No, what I mean is that most people here are more accepting of others.'   
  
'Considering how many weird looks I get, I find that hard to believe.'   
  
'But has anyone teased you or called you names because of the way you look or act?' Elizabeth countered.   
  
Jack opened his mouth to point out a time that had happened, but he couldn't remember any off the top of his head. 'Not that I can think of. But being a freak and being gay are two different things.'   
  
'You're not a freak. You're an individual,' Will said as he straightened one of Jack's earrings. 'With too many eearings,' he added.   
  
'You're supposed to say that because you're my boyfriend,' Jack said and leaned his head on Will's shoulder.   
  
'I'm not your boyfriend.'   
  
'Sure looked like you were from my point of view,' Anna pointed out.   
  
'Mine, too,' Jack agreed as he began lightly kissing Will's neck.   
  
'St-stop that!' Will tried to pry Jack off himself, which was easier said than done.   
  
'Only if you admit that you're my boyfriend.' Jack began to nibble on Will's earlobe.   
  
Will squeaked and bit his lip to keep himself from moaning. 'Fine, I'm your boyfriend,' he managed to breath out.   
  
Jack backed off, pleased and disappointed at the same time. 'Since we're an official item now, we should celebrate by going on our first official date. Doesn't that sound like fun?'   
  
'Not really,' Will said as he rubbed at the area Jack had been attending and looked at the floor.   
  
'C'mon. I'm sure your parents would let you. Just tell them you're going on a date with your boyfriend, and they'll say it's OK,' Elizabeth said in-between giggles.   
  
'And if they say no, then I'll gladly go as a chaperone,' Anna added.   
  
Will's attention snapped to Anna and he gave her a look. 'Actually, Jack,' he said with slight sarcasm, 'I'd love to go on a date with you.'   
  
'Great! Right after church?' Jack offered.   
  
'On the single condition that Anna will _not_ be in the vicinity.'   
  
Jack looked at Anna forlornly. 'Sorry, luv, just me and Will for now. I'll bring you back a souvenir.'   
  
Anna laughed at the dirty look Will gave Jack. 'Really? I like pointless gifts.'   
  
Music drifted up to the balcony and the teens quieted down.   
  
Church was boring enough. So Jack helped pass the time by finding out how and where he could touch Will without being smacked or pinched away, but that didn't mean he didn't try multiple times just to be certain. He found out that the thigh was OK--as long as he kept his distance from Will's crotch, but that might have been due to being in a public place.   
  
Arms were open game, except for the inside of the elbow. Jack had been lightly running his fingers up and down Will's arm, noting how he faintly flinched each time his hand ran over the spot. Jack continued the action until Will abruptly stopped him before he could run over the spot again. When Jack asked why he'd stopped him, Will looked him dead in the eye and told him to 'just stop' without any other explanation. So Jack switched to massaging Will's chest and stomach for a short while. He was batted and pinched away every time he closed in on an unsuspecting nipple, much to his annoyance.   
  
The neck was completely off-limits. Jack had tried to nuzzle his nose against it, but was pushed away. He tried ghosting a finger along the length of Will's neck, just to receive a threat that if he continued, Will would break it off.   
  
Jack eventually settled for wrapping his arms around Will and snuggling against him. Will sighed in resignation and decided that it was better than having Jack feel him up the entire time--it was driving him insane that Jack seemed to know just how and where to touch him to turn him on. He lifted his arm around Jack to allow himself more comfort. _Is Jack supposed to be temptation or punishment?_ Will asked in a silent prayer as he laid his head on Jack's.   
  
When church finally let out, Anna and Elizabeth ran off to have their girls only Sunday brunch. Will stretched his arms and looked down at Jack, who had fallen asleep. He tried to pry Jack off himself, but Jack's hold on him only tightened.   
  
'Stop yer bloody fidgetin', whelp,' Jack mumbled in his sleep.   
  
Will froze and his breath caught in his throat. _Th-that accent... It's the same as that pirate's!_ He tried shaking Jack, to see if that would wake him. 'J-Jack? C'mon, it's time to wake up. Church is over,' Will said, his voice wavering slightly as he spoke.   
  
Jack looked up at him groggily. 'What?'   
  
'It's time to go.'   
  
'Go where?' Jack asked. He furrowed his brows in confusion.   
  
'Home.' Will couldn't help but smile down at Jack.   
  
'Whose home?'   
  
'Me to mine, and you to yours.'   
  
'Yea, let's go to your home. I wanna see your room,' Jack said as he buried his face in Will's shirt. _Vanilla... Vanilla cologne? What do I care? Smells nice,_ Jack thought happily.   
  
'Somehow, I very much doubt that you're really listening to me.'   
  
'I'm listening, I'm just not hearing all the words.'   
  
'That's convenient.'   
  
'What's convenient?'   
  
'Nothing. Get up.'   
  
'But I'm comfy!' Jack whined.   
  
'If you don't get off me--'   
  
'I have a better idea,' Jack said, cutting him off.   
  
'You didn't even let me finish,' Will half whined.   
  
'I'll get off if you...' Jack trailed off, uncertain as to what his terms would be.   
  
'If I...?'   
  
'...Say something English.'   
  
'You're pathetic,' Will sneered in the accent he'd used before.   
  
'Never said I wasn't,' Jack replied with a sly grin as he leaned up towards Will's face--intentions far from pure.   
  
'Just get off.' Will pushed Jack off of himself a little more roughly than he'd intended, forcing an uncomfortable grunt from Jack.   
  
'Well, I'm off,' Jack said, 'but don't think that I've forgotten about our date.'   
  
Will sighed in resignation. 'Fine. Uh... One question, though.'   
  
'What's that, luv?' Jack stood and held his hand out for Will.   
  
Will to the offered hand and stood. 'Who's taking who out?' he asked.   
  
'In other words: Who is the girl in the relationship?'   
  
'That's not how I would have worded it...'   
  
'Tell you what, we'll decide once we get there,' Jack said.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: ...The muses have infected my dreams... @.@;; 


	12. Are We in Love Yet

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Are We in Love Yet' is a Shakespear's Sister song.  
  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Date. My craving for fish influenced this chapter.  
  
_AN_: After my computer dying, coming back, falling to the floor in peices and being peachy keen after being slapped back together, and almost losing this chapter on a corrupt floppy...it's here... @.@

~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Are We in Love Yet_   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


Jack slinked down the church steps after Will. Will ran off to his parents to tell them that he'd be back later. From Jack's standpoint, he could see the other teen was getting flustered over having to explain where and why he was going. He laughed as Will rushed back to him, looking immensely relieved to get away from his parents.   
  
'Sorry, they just kept asking questions,' Will apologized. 'Where did you park?'   
  
'Over here,' Jack replied as he led the way. 'So what did they ask?'   
  
'Where I was going, who I was going with, and then they went on asking other questions I'd rather not have been asked.'   
  
'Aww... Did they ask if we were going on a date?' Jack asked teasingly as he got into the car.   
  
'Yes, and my dad asked if we were an item,' Will replied.   
  
'And you said...?'   
  
'Yes.' Will buckled his seat belt and looked at Jack. 'Unlike others, once I make a commitment, I'm committed to seeing it through.'   
  
'Commitment's such a strong word,' Jack said and started the car. 'And just how far does this commitment of yours go?'   
  
'Far enough.'   
  
'Kissy faces?'   
  
Will smiled and let out a small laugh. 'I think you already know the answer to that.'   
  
'Ah, yes. So you'll go as far as kissing, general making out...foreplay?'   
  
'F-foreplay?!'   
  
'Unless you want to skip that and move straight to sex. Either works for me,' Jack said. He pulled up to a stop sign and asked 'So where are we going?'   
  
'I'll only go as far as kissing on a first date,' Will said.   
  
'Then does that mean I'd get further if we weren't on a date?'   
  
'Shut up, or else you'll get nothing!!'   
  
'But, darling!' Jack whined.   
  
'Just be glad I even agreed to this,' Will said as he slouched in his seat.   
  
Jack watched Will for a moment and smirked. 'I need to run by my place real quick,' he said suddenly.   
  
'Why?' Will asked, warily eying Jack.   
  
'I left my money there. As well as my wallet and license.'   
  
_That seems innocent enough, but when has he ever been innocent?_ Will sighed, wishing he knew what was going on in Jack's head. 'How long will you be?'   
  
'Long enough for you to come in,' Jack replied.   
  
'Sorry, but I must decline that invitation.'   
  
'Fine, fine,' Jack said, waving his hand. _So much for that._ He pulled up in front of the apartment complex and quickly made his way to his apartment.   
  
Will waited patiently for a few minutes, then boredom took control, and he popped open the glove compartment. He pulled out the predictable insurance and car manual, and found a pile Polaroids sitting at the bottom. He pulled them out and flipped though them.   
  
They were all labeled 'Jack & Sam - Singapore' or the like. In most of the pictures, the group of tourists they were with could be seen mingling in the background, pointing and taking their pictures. Will laughed out loud at the last picture. Jack and Sam were at an airport; it had to be back in America (the subtitle read 'Jam & Sack back home'). Sam was wearing what appeared to be Jack's clothes, and vice versa. Sam was doing her best to looked melancholy, whereas Jack was grinning happily beside her. The part that made Will laugh was Jack's eye shadow; his eyes were outlined in green, and his eye shadow was done in bright yellow and blue. They were close to the same size, so the clothes-trade worked well.   
  
'Whadja find?!' Jack exclaimed, making Will yelp.   
  
'Just some pictures of you and your friend,' Will replied as he watched Jack circle around the car to the driver's side.   
  
When Jack got in, he leaned over to examine the photos. 'Oh! That's from when Sam and I went touristing in Singapore,' he explained. 'Thought I lost those.'   
  
'This one's my favorite,' Will said, holding up the one of Jack and Sam in the other's clothes.   
  
'That one? Why?'   
  
'Because you're wearing bright colors.'   
  
'And we all know how I hate to wear color,' Jack said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.   
  
'No, I mean _neon_ colors. Just look at that eye shadow! Did you use a highlighter, or does it really come in that color?'   
  
'It really comes in that color. Why? You want some of your own?' Jack asked teasingly. 'You'd make an adorable raver,' he added.   
  
'Like how you make an adorable Goth?' Will asked as he pinched Jack's wandering hand from his thigh.   
  
'I am adorable, aren't I? But I'm not that Goth. I don't have the look so down that people think I'm a Satanist. No pentagrams or strange tattoos.'   
  
'No strange tattoos? You sure about that?'   
  
'Speaking of which, you should get one,' Jack said, his hand switching to lightly massaging the back of Will's neck.   
  
'Not eighteen,' Will replied with a shrug. He leaned back against Jack hand, trying to get more pressure.   
  
'A likely excuse.' Jack rested himself on the edge of his seat closest to Will.   
  
'I really don't think that I'm ready for something permanent on my body just yet.'   
  
'Alright, a piercing,' suggested Jack.   
  
'What?!'   
  
'Yes...' Jack trailed off in thought of what Will should get pierced. 'A bellybutton ring! You should get one of those!' he said as he playfully poked Will's stomach.   
  
'No!' Will smacked Jack's hand from his stomach. 'I refuse to get my bellybutton pierced!'   
  
Jack cocked his head to the side and used his hold of Will's neck to bring them closer. 'Eyebrow?' he asked and placed a gentle kiss on Will's brow.   
  
Will shivered at the tenderness that came from Jack. 'No.'   
  
'Nose?' He kissed the tip of Will's nose.   
  
'No.'   
  
'Lip?' He ghosted his own lips over Will's.   
  
Will titled his head to gain more contact. 'No,' he replied just above a whisper.   
  
'Tongue?' Jack suggested before clamping his mouth around Will's and fervently exploring the other's mouth. He managed to coax Will's tongue out from hiding. Once it was within reach, he lightly nipped at it.   
  
'Mmph! Definitely not!' Will exclaimed, suddenly pulling back from Jack.   
  
Jack pouted and would have gone back to his side of the car, but he thought better, or worse, of it. 'A Prince Albert, then?' he offered.   
  
'A what?' Will looked confusedly at Jack. _Might be another name for a normal piercing. Cartilage perhaps?_   
  
Jack grinned at Will's naivety. 'You know...,' his hand snaked forward to the rim of Will's pants, 'this.' He unbuttoned them one-handedly.   
  
Will sighed. 'Jack, stop,' he said calmly.   
  
'Come on,' Jack coaxed, 'It's not like anyone's around to see.' He began slowly pulling down the zipper.   
  
Will stopped Jack's hand and held it. 'If you don't stop, you can consider this so-called "date" over,' he warned before releasing his grip.   
  
Jack slumped back onto the driver's side. 'Fine. Be boring and normal with a stupid earring.'   
  
'That, I might be willing to do.'   
  
'In that case, lemme get a safety pin and lighter, and we can get straight to work!' he said as he waved his hands about, showing, in his opinion, what he meant.   
  
'Why?' Will wasn't so certain if he could trust Jack with pointy objects.   
  
'I have a few studs lying around from when I got my piercings,' he explained, 'so I can let you have those if you want.'   
  
'But my ears aren't pierced...'   
  
'Like I said, a safety pin can easily rectify that mistake,' Jack said. He took Will's earlobe between his thumb an forefinger and rubbed gently.   
  
Realization dawned on Will, and he silently cursed himself for not knowing what Jack meant from the get go. 'No! Even if I did get an earring, there's no way in Hell that I'd let _you_ do it! It's unsanitary, for one!'   
  
'That's what the lighter's for.' It made perfect sense to Jack (he'd gotten his first piercing that way).   
  
'I think you're missing the point. I'll only get it done professionally.'   
  
'Then we'll just find a tattoo parlor. You have one of those around here, right?'   
  
'Yea, but I think they're closed on Sundays. Anna dragged me in there once,' Will said, remembering the time Anna had taken him 'shopping' for her tattoo.   
  
'And did you come out with anything extra?' Jack asked with a suggestive wink.   
  
'What do you think?'   
  
'Yea, a stick in the mud, such as yourself, would never do anything interesting or daring.'   
  
'That's not true,' Will disagreed with a whine.   
  
'It's not, is it?' Jack baited with a raised brow.   
  
Will rolled his eyes and stared out the windshield. 'Look, just...go. You're buying, so you can choose.'   
  
'But I'm taking _you_ out.'   
  
'Surprise me. I like surprises.'   
  
'Is that so?' Jack started the car and began weaving through the streets, looking for someplace to eat. He pulled up to a restaurant just off the docks and read one of the posters on the front of the building aloud. 'All you can eat fish and chips! Like fish?'   
  
'Do I live next to the ocean?' Will asked rhetorically.   
  
'Great! Let's eat here.'   
  
Will looked up at the building then at Jack. 'Um...'   
  
'Don't worry, I'll behave,' Jack swore, making a crossing motion over his heart.   
  
'Sorry, it's just that...'   
  
'I know, you're not used to it,' Jack said and got out of the car. 'I'll have to take you to a gay club sometime,' he added when Will shut his door.   
  
'Joy.'   
  
They entered the restaurant, and the Hostess turned to greet them.   
  
'Hello, Will. How many?' She was tall, thin, pretty, and blond. She also had no chest to speak of.   
  
'Two,' Will replied.   
  
'Smoking or non?'   
  
'Smok--er...,' Jack trailed off and looked to Will. 'Non?'   
  
'Smoking's fine,' Will said.   
  
'You sure? I can survive without one.'   
  
'I'll live.'   
  
'Alright, smoking it is!' Jack happily declared.   
  
'Right this way,' the hostess said. She led them to a booth in the smoking section, and set menus in front of them after they scooted across the seat. 'And Matt will be your server,' she said before leaving.   
  
A few moments of silence went by, then Jack suddenly spoke up, making Will jump slightly. 'Got a car?'   
  
'Yea...why?' Will looked up with a confused look on his face.   
  
'What would you do if I put a rainbow sticker on your car?' Jack asked.   
  
'I already have enough stupid stickers on my car, thank you.'   
  
'You do? How so? Why?'   
  
'Yes,' Will replied, answering Jack's first question before explaining. 'When I was dating Anna, she decided to decorate it as an apology for making us late to homecoming.'   
  
Jack's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. 'Y-you dated Anna?!' he sputtered. He just couldn't see it.   
  
'Yes, why?'   
  
'Never woulda guessed.'   
  
'Oh, really? And why's that?' Will asked, crossing his arms defiantly.   
  
'Doesn't seem your type,' Jack replied. 'I might've guessed Elizabeth, but not Anna. Is that why you don't want her watching?'   
  
'I dated Lizzie, too.'   
  
'Get around a lot, don't you?'   
  
'Hey, Will! Who's your friend?' their waiter asked from the end of the table, eying Jack with interest.   
  
'Hi, Matt,' Will greeted. 'This is Jack--he's new here. Jack, Matt.'   
  
'Nice eyeliner,' Matt commented with a smirk.   
  
'Thanks! Nice apron,' Jack replied, mimicking Matt's tone.   
  
'Will, your friend is wearing women's makeup,' Matt pointed out to Will, ignoring Jack.   
  
'I know...,' Will said with a tired sigh.   
  
'You're just jealous because I have more options than you,' Jack quipped.   
  
'Okay... What can I get you two to drink? Iced tea for you, of course.' He looked to Jack and asked 'You?'   
  
'Coke and rum, but hold the rum, I'm cutting back. Actually, hold the Coke, but keep the ice and add in Mr. Pibb.'   
  
'Right. I'll be back with your drinks.' Matt left them to decide on their order.   
  
'He seems nice,' Jack said dryly.   
  
'A Coke and rum?' Will asked.   
  
'Yea, I make a real mean Coke and rum! You should ask me to make it for you sometime.'   
  
'Must take _real_ talent,' Will said sarcastically.   
  
'Shut up, or I'll start playing footsies,' Jack warned. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to Will after pulling one for himself. 'Want one?'   
  
'No, thanks. I'm trying to quit,' Will said seriously. Upon the shocked looked he received from Jack he hastily added 'I'm joking!'   
  
'I was gonna say...'   
  
Matt returned and set down their drinks. 'There you are. Know whatcha want?'   
  
'All you can eat fish and chips for me!' Jack replied.   
  
'Will?'   
  
'Same thing.'   
  
'Straying from seafood pasta?' Matt asked.   
  
'I don't always have that,' Will replied defensively.   
  
'You did last the last two times.'   
  
'Yea, but right now I'm hungry.'   
  
'Gotcha.' He jotted the order down on his pad. 'I was going to ask you tomorrow, but since you're here right now...'   
  
'What day?' Will asked, knowing what Matt wanted.   
  
'Friday night. I'll cover Saturday for you,' Matt replied gratefully.   
  
'Sounds like a fair trade to me.'   
  
'Thanks!' Matt said and left for the time being.   
  
'What was that all about?' Jack asked.   
  
'Oh, didn't I tell you? I work here.'   
  
'Why didn't you say anything?!'   
  
'I thought you wanted fish and chips.'   
  
Jack rolled his eyes, though he was flattered that Will was putting him ahead of himself. 'Psh. You get a discount?'   
  
'Yes.'   
  
'Great! Anyway, I didn't think you worked,' Jack said before sipping on his drink, leaving a lightly chewed straw behind.   
  
'I do--I just took the first week of school off,' he explained.   
  
'Why?'   
  
'Homework reasons.'   
  
Their food arrived and conversation was sparse as they ate. After the check came, Jack kept unusually quiet up until they left.   
  
Once in the car, Will asked 'Is something wrong?'   
  
Jack looked over and smiled. 'Nothing, why?'   
  
'You seem distracted,' Will replied.   
  
'Just thinking about something; it's not important,' Jack said in a tone that finalized the subject as he started the car.   
  
Will shifted uncomfortably in his seat. 'So...where to next?'   
  
'How about your house? I'd like to see your room.'   
  
'My room? Why?' Will asked, wondering what Jack might have in mind.   
  
'No reason. I just wanna see your room,' Jack said. 'Show me yours, and I'll show you mine.'   
  
'But it's a mess.'   
  
'Trust me, it can't be anywhere near as bad as mine, and I've only had a week to screw it up.'   
  
'But...'   
  
'No. You wanted to know where we were going next, and I've decided,' Jack stated.   
  
Will sunk in his seat and began to plan how he would straighten his room before Jack would get the chance to see it.   
  
Jack pulled up in front of Will's house and followed him in.   
  
Will led the way up the stairs. He could feel how close Jack was to him and wished that he had closed his door--there was no chance for him to get even a moment to clean. He sighed and walked into his room, Jack right behind him.   
  
Jack marveled at how immaculate Will's room was. No discarded clothing on the floor, no unmade bed, no half-opened closet with miscellaneous garbage spilling out, no anything. _I'm dating a neat freak... Could be worse,_ he thought to himself, and observed the contents of the room. All that furnished the room was a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, and a desk and chair. Decoration was minimal: a few candles and photographs sat atop the dresser. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack caught a glimpse of Will pushing in a drawer. 'You call _that_ messy?!' he snapped.   
  
Will jumped and backed against the dresser, knocking one of the candles off. 'S-sorry! It's just...it bugs me.'   
  
'What else is out of place?' Jack asked, curious as to what else Will could find that needed straightening.   
  
Will blushed lightly. Elizabeth had never really said anything about his habits (only that his mother trained him well), but she had known him longer and was used to it. He picked up the candle he'd knocked over then indicated the desk.   
  
Jack walked up to the desk and examined it for a minute or so. A book, a folder, and a few papers lay neatly stacked on top. Jack gave Will a skeptical look. 'This?' He placed his hand on the papers, and Will nodded. He grinned mischievously, and began to slowly drag the papers to the edge of the desktop.   
  
Will looked from the papers to Jack. 'What are you doing?'   
  
'Nothing,' Jack replied innocently before letting the small stack fall to the floor. 'Oopsie. Clumsy me.'   
  
'That's not funny.'   
  
'Come on. Clean it up,' Jack said with a coaxing motion. 'You know you wanna.'   
  
Will stared at the scattered papers and sighed resignedly. He shuffled over to the pile and scooped down to retrieve them.   
  
Jack took advantage of the moment and wrapped his arms around Will's waist.   
  
Will was taken by surprise and lost his balance, bringing them both to the ground. He turned onto his back and looked up at Jack. 'That was uncalled for.'   
  
Jack pulled himself up and set himself on Will's thighs, allowing Will to sit up. 'It's not my fault you're a neat freak.'   
  
'I meant attacking me.'   
  
'I didn't attack you,' Jack insisted.   
  
Will brought his arms around Jack's neck. 'Yes, you did. Don't lie.'   
  
'I hugged you, and you fell. See? All your fault,' Jack chimed.   
  
Will lightly pecked Jack's cheek. 'Care to get up?'   
  
'I'm quite comfortable, thank you.'   
  
'It wasn't a question.'   
  
'But I like it here,' Jack said as he leaned forward.   
  
Will had to let go of Jack and position his hands behind him to keep from falling back. 'My parents are going to be home soon, and I'm not too fond of the idea of being seen like this by them.'   
  
'Then we'll close the door.'   
  
'That would lead them to the wrong conclusion.'   
  
'Or maybe the right one,' Jack said seductively as reached up and began unbuttoning Will's shirt. 'Out of curiosity, just how far did you ever get with your exes?'   
  
'Not this far...,' Will replied, feeling himself blush as Jack pushed his shirt off his shoulders. 'How far did you get with yours?' he asked.   
  
'In her words, I was "distracted from the task at hand by anything pretty on two legs." In his words,' Jack said, pausing to kiss Will's chest, 'I was a "frigid bitch."'   
  
Will laughed and balanced himself on one hand to run the other through Jack's hair. 'You? Frigid? I have yet to see that side of you.'   
  
'Not with you. It feels right with you. But do you really want to see that side of me?'   
  
Before Will could answer, his mother called up the stairs to him. 'Will? Are you home?'   
  
'Yes!' he shouted back. He scrambled out from under Jack, toppling him over. Will pulled his shirt back on and frantically messed with the buttons.   
  
Jack stood up and slapped Will's hands from their task and calmly buttoned Will's shirt for him. 'There. All pretty again. Now, take a deep breath and calm down.'   
  
Will let out a short laugh. 'Sorry. She startled me,' he explained.   
  
'At least she gives you some warning,' Jack said.   
  
'Probably because she saw your car parked outside and didn't want to accidentally walk in on anything.'   
  
'Not like there was anything to walk in on.'   
  
'Too bad, huh?' Will commented distractedly as he looked down the hall for any sign of his parents. He turned back to Jack only to find him missing. He looked to the other side of his room and saw Jack lounging on his bed. He had removed his shirt and was dangling it over the side of the bed. 'What are you doing?'   
  
'Giving your parents something to walk in on,' he answered with a wink.   
  
'And how were you planning on doing that?' Will asked, instantly regretting asking.   
  
Jack released the shirt and let it fall into a pool of silk cloth on the floor. 'Gee, I'm sorry. I'm just all sorts of messy today.'   
  
Will was torn between killing Jack and kissing him. He made to move from the doorway, but couldn't. He was certain he'd lose all self-control if he were to participate in Jack's obvious attempt to seduce him. He took one last look over his shoulder before closing the door.   
  
With the click of the door, Jack's world shifted. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: Yes, neat freaks really act like that. ::points to friend:: I have proof. 


	13. Carry On

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Carry On' is a Cranberries song.  
  
_Warnings for this chapter_: A little turbulance for the date, but it ends on a high note. Spider torture, smoking, drinking, near death experience.  
  
_AN_: Two dirty words! Go, me!! ^__^

~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Carry On_   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  
  


_Dammit! Not again, not now! Fuck whatever's making this happen!_ He sat up and glared about his surroundings. He found his other self lying passed out on the bed. An arm dangled off the edge, a bottle lightly clasped between his fingers. He looked at the door to see Will standing there with an annoyed expression on his face.   
  
Will approached Jack and kicked the bottle from his hand, startling the pirate awake.   
  
Jack glared up at Will. 'That be no way to treat yer guests, whelp!'   
  
Will looked down at Jack, almost lovingly. 'Why are you here, Jack?' he asked.   
  
Jack sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. 'Ye lost yer feisty strumpet to another man, so I'm here to help ye find a replacement,' he proudly declared.   
  
'I'm not interested in finding another woman, Jack,' Will said and sat next to Jack. 'Why are you really here?'   
  
Jack feigned shock. 'Honest! That's why I'm here.'   
  
Will looked at Jack skeptically. 'I'm not interested, so you came for nothing.'   
  
'So yer not interested in women...how about men?'   
  
Will faltered in his answer.   
  
Jack took advantage of the moment and captured Will's lips with his. He pulled away and asked 'Am I still here for nothing?'   
  
Will opened his mouth to speak, but words were lost to him. He settled on pulling Jack in for a deeper, longer kiss.   
  
Jack, as himself, felt pressure on his shoulder and became aware of a shaking motion and someone calling his name.   
  
'Jack? Jack! Wake up!' Will said frantically.   
  
Jack opened his eyes to see Will's worried expression. 'Something wrong?' he asked.   
  
Will breathed a sigh of relief. 'I think I should be asking _you_ that. You just...passed out,' he explained.   
  
'Yea...that happens,' Jack replied hesitantly, avoiding Will's questioning stare. He pushed himself off the bed and grabbed his shirt from the floor.   
  
Will watched Jack in confusion as Jack buttoned up his shirt as if nothing had happened. 'What do you mean "that happens?"'   
  
'I dunno. It just does,' Jack said, a bit harsher than he'd meant to. 'I should go. My mom's probably wondering where I've got to.' He brushed past Will and headed for the door.   
  
'No!' Will grabbed Jack by the arm and stopped him from going any further. 'Tell me what's wrong. People don't just pass out like that.'   
  
'Well, _I_ do.'   
  
'I'm not letting you go until I get a proper explanation.' Will enforced his statement by tightening his grip on Jack's arm.   
  
'Look, if it makes you feel any better, I've had these little fainting spells once in a while for the past thirteen years, I think of it as pretty normal for me. So don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow,' Jack snapped as he turned to confront Will.   
  
'How can you tell me that and expect me not to worry?!'   
  
'Will...' Jack silently pleaded for Will to just drop the subject.   
  
'_Why_ do you pass out?' Will asked.   
  
Jack's expression softened at the concern in Will's voice. 'I don't know,' Jack lied at length. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He knew what the prime cause was, but he was unsure of why it kept happening.   
  
Will released his hold of Jack's arm. 'But you said that you've been passing out for thirteen years. So you must know what caused it. Did you ever see a doctor?'   
  
'Yeah, but they couldn't figure out what was wrong with me,' Jack replied with a shrug. 'Doesn't happen all that often anyway, so I've never worried about it much, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't either.'   
  
'But--'   
  
'I don't want to talk about it,' Jack said, finalizing the conversation. He turned from Will and rummaged around his pockets as he made his way to the door.   
  
'Jack.' Will followed Jack down the stairs and to the front door.   
  
Jack let himself out and bid his farewell without looking back. 'Later.'   
  
Will wracked his mind for something to say that would end them on a good note. 'What? No goodbye kiss?' he asked, a playful tone in his voice.   
  
Jack stopped and looked back at Will. The corner of his mouth twitched as a smile threatened to surface. He made his way back to the door. He halted just in front of Will and captured his mouth in a passionate kiss.   
  
Their tongues slid against each other, trying to taste more of the other. Jack ran his tongue under Will's, eliciting a soft purr from Will.   
  
Jack's hands roamed over Will's body, touching and teasing most of Will's sensitive areas that he'd discovered during their church cuddle. Will brought his arms around Jack's waist and pulled him closer. He was lost in the sensations and didn't want it to stop.   
  
Jack slipped his hands behind himself and lightly guided Will's off his person. Abruptly, he stopped and pulled back with a smirk.   
  
Will whined in protest. 'Jack...'   
  
Jack let his hand trail down Will's chest and stopped just short of the bulge making itself known. 'Can't be spoiling your dinner with dessert, luv. I'll see you two tomorrow,' he said huskily as his fingers softly ran over Will's erection, earning himself a light blush and needy moan. He turned and practically skipped off to his care without a car in the world.   
  
Will went back inside and made a beeline for the bathroom. 

  
  
_~About an hour later...~_

  
  
Jack sat atop his dresser, staring out the window. He blew smoke through the screen as a stick of incense slowly burned down next to him. He noticed a rather large spider hanging out in the window tread and dropped a cherry on its head. It scurried off to the safety provided by the far corner of the window. Jack made a mental note to douse the window area with Raid.   
  
He'd been doing much thinking about his newfound relationship with Will and why he hadn't been more honest with him about passing out. _Shoulda just told him the truth. But the truth's too weird, he'd think I was lying even more!_ Jack groaned in frustration and fished around for another cigarette. The pack was empty, so he slid himself gracelessly off the dresser to search for one with sustenance.   
  
He scrounged around his room, picking up any article of clothing that had pockets. After his search, he came up with five empty packs of cigarettes, three half-used matchbooks, a full box of matches, and ten lighters (four of which declared what state they originated from); he'd also found over twenty dollars worth of change. He dumped his findings on the dresser and snuffed out the incense.   
  
Jack glanced at the clock that sat precariously on a stack of boxes and groaned at how early it was. He slumped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. His thoughts wandered to the past. 

  
  
_~Thirteen years earlier...~_

  
  
Little Jacky Jo Sparrow sat at the shallow end of an indoor wave pool. He was completely mesmerized by the chlorinated water covering him to his chest then vanishing from him completely, the faint push and pull rocking his body as he sat. The waves died down and he let out a bored sigh.   
  
He looked around himself for his mother; he found her sitting on an edge, shamelessly flirting with one of the lifeguards. He figured 'Uncle Bob' was either history or nowhere near the vicinity. He watched as his mother and the lifeguard chatted. Daisy's eyes flickered to Jacky and she gave him a cheerful smile and waved to him. He waved back. Yep, Bob must have screwed something up. _Think he called her fat,_ Jacky decided.   
  
He looked back out to the water. He wanted to go out into the deep end with all the big kids. A little deeper wouldn't hurt anyone.   
  
The water was halfway up his chest by the time the waves began to pound. Before he knew it, he was in over his head. The water pulled down and his toes hit the floor. He pushed himself up and gasped for air. He tried to scream for help, but the waves were too powerful for him, and he was pulled under again. He kept fighting to keep his head above water. His body quickly became fatigued by his efforts and lack of air. He gasped again, his mouth half full of water, and blacked out momentarily, thinking it was the end.   
  
A pair of arms wrapped around him and pulled him up. Instinctively, he clung to his rescuer as he choked up the water. He was set on the damp carpeting. He stopped coughing long enough for his eyes to focus on his mother sitting in front of him. He couldn't tell if she was crying or if her face was just wet from the pool. He opened his mouth to reassure her that he was perfectly fine, but went straight into a coughing fit. 

  
  
_~Back in the present...~_

  
  
Jack remembered the incident quite clearly--more so than he wished to. The feeling of utter hopelessness. Knowing that he was going to die. And then salvation. Fate spared him his life, and his was forever grateful to be alive.   
  
But the part that Jack remembered most clearly, and still haunted his dreams, was the blackout. He was no longer in the pool, but in the middle of the ocean during a violent storm. The nightmares that ensued were more graphic, entailing horrors that no child was meant to see.   
  
He was pulled from his thoughts by the apartment door opening and his mother quietly dismissing her new love interest.   
  
Jack looked back at the clock and realized he'd been reminiscing for a good hour or so. He got up and headed to the kitchen and greeted his mother as he passed her. He pulled out a few bottles from one of the cupboards.   
  
'Make me one, too!' Daisy said from the living room.   
  
'Didn't know you liked Dragnets,' Jack said with a smirk.   
  
'Then make me something I do like, or I'm revoking your drinking privileges.'   
  
Jack rolled his eyes and pulled another two bottles from the shelf.   
  
After he had mixed the drinks, he walked out to the living room and handed his mother her drink. 'So how was your date?' he asked as he sat next to her on the couch.   
  
'I could ask you the same question,' she said knowingly. 'We were at the same restaurant.'   
  
'We were? I didn't see you there.'   
  
'You had fish and chips.'   
  
'And what of it?' Jack asked defensively.   
  
'Nothing,' she replied. 'I just want to know how my son's date went. Mine was perfect. Even had a perfect ending with walking on the beach.'   
  
'Mine was as good as it gets for a first date.'   
  
'That doesn't sound too good. What happened? Was it because of me? Did I scare the poor thing off?'   
  
'No, it wasn't you at all,' he assured her. 'Everything was fine up until we stopped at his house and he showed me his room.'   
  
'He jumped you? I wouldn't blame him; you're such a tease and you don't even know it. Get it from me I imagine...'   
  
'He didn't jump me. I jumped him.'   
  
'So _you_ scared him off,' Daisy said with a light laugh.   
  
'No, I didn't.'   
  
'Then what are you getting at?' she asked.   
  
'I...I passed out,' Jack replied. He looked at the floor, bracing for the inevitable worried-mother-attack.   
  
'What?! How? When? Are you alright?' She tilted his chin up and forced him to look at her. She seemed to also be checking for any damage.   
  
Jack batted her away and smiled. 'I'm fine. It was only for a minute. Freaked Will out, though.'   
  
'Oh, Jack... It's been over six months since the last time.'   
  
Jack blushed and looked away. 'Three days,' he corrected her.   
  
'Why didn't you tell me?!'   
  
'Didn't think it mattered.'   
  
'Of course it matters! What if you banged your head open on something or were driving? What then?'   
  
He shrugged in response, not really knowing what would happen. He'd never passed out while driving before--at least, he didn't think so.   
  
'So how did he take it?' she asked, remembering how Jack's friend, Sam, had dragged him to the hospital the first two times she witnessed Jack's little fainting spells.   
  
'Well enough, I suppose. Had a nice make out session as I was leaving, and I left him wanting more.' Jack gave her mischievous grin and downed the rest of his drink.   
  
'But why are you so stressed?'   
  
'I'm not stressing about anything!'   
  
'I can smell numerous cigarettes, and you're drinking,' Daisy pointed out.   
  
'Only because I'm out of cigarettes.'   
  
'Smoking will kill you, you know.'   
  
'Can, not will. It's one out of every three people that smoke, and I feel rather lucky, thank you.'   
  
'That still doesn't answer what you're stressing about.'   
  
'Will asked why I fainted,' he replied. He sighed and elaborated. 'I wasn't completely honest with the answer, and I don't know if I should be.'   
  
'Did you tell him that the doctors said you were fine?'   
  
'Yea, but he's still worried about me.'   
  
'So am I, so don't hold it against him.'   
  
'You're supposed to worry about me,' Jack said cheekily.   
  
'Yes, but I have a good reason; between the open ocean and everything else, I'm certain I should get you a psychiatrist.'   
  
'Been there. Done that.'   
  
'It helps if you talk to them,' Daisy said as she took a swig of her drink.   
  
'Did you ever talk to yours?'   
  
'What's on TV?' she asked, changing the subject and flipping through the few channels they had.   
  
'That's what I thought.' 

  
  
_~That night...~_

  
  
Will stood in a cavern filled with treasure. He recognized it from before in one of his earlier dreams. Before him sat a box filled with gold coins. He was about to have his throat slit when Jack popped up. _Oh, great... My knight in shining armor._ Will's thoughts were sidetracked as he watched Jack nick one of the coins. _He's an idiot... What sort of moron willingly gets himself cursed?!_   
  
Most of Barbossa's men left the cavern, and Will watched Jack sort through the treasure. He rolled his eyes at the predictable carelessness of Jack and sat himself on the edge of the chest.   
  
Jack went on a spiel about honesty and a fight ensued. He wasn't certain when Elizabeth showed up, but she ended up being there in any case, and they defeated a few of the skeletal pirates together. He was a bit put off by Jack jumping in and out of the moonlight and switching from normal to undead and back again.   
  
Eventually the time came to end the curse. Will felt the cool metal slice into his hand, but didn't give it much thought. Jack shot Barbossa, he dropped the bloodied coins, and Barbossa died. He got a special moment with Elizabeth. She left and Jack pointed out that that was the opportune moment before following her.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: They say to 'write what you know'...so don't pity Jack, pity me! ^__^ I think that drowning and burning would be the worst ways to go. Burning because, well, ouch! And drowning because you're totally helpless and you can see the surface taunting you, but you can't reach it. .....Never did learn my lesson. ^.^;;  
Oh, and a Dragnet contains spiced rum. 


	14. And Then

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'And Then' is an Ayumi Hamasaki song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Short. Lot's of dialog.  
  
_AN_: Finally managed to get this thing out. @.@  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
And Then_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jack awoke with a strange sensation in his left hand. It felt like it was asleep, but there was something else. Like something was dripping off his fingertips. He turned on his side and brought his hand closer to his face. He looked from his hand to a pile of discarded clothing and papers on the floor. Little red splotches decorated Garfield's grinning face.   
  
He experimentally closed his hand into a fist, and the pins and needles of the tingling faded into pain. His eyes widened as he realized he wasn't dreaming. The cut across the palm of his hand was very real and appeared to be bleeding quite profusely.   
  
'Oh, shit.'   
  
Jack jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and held his hand under the running water. After he'd washed off the wet and dried blood, he found that the wound wasn't all that bad. It didn't look deep enough for stitches (in his opinion), just painful and at the right place to cause a lot of bleeding.   
  
He wrapped his hand in toilet paper and began searching for band-aids. He finally found a variety pack in the linen closet and stuck the largest ones he could find over the cut. He then decorated the bandaging with Hello Kitty and Blue's Clues band-aids.   
  
Once his hand was taken care of, Jack headed to the kitchen to fix up some breakfast. It appeared that his mother had beaten him to the coffee pot. At least, he thought it was his mother.   
  
'Oh, Jack! You're awake,' Daisy observed. She noticed Jack's hand and raised a suspicious brow at him. 'What did you do to your hand?'   
  
Jack shook his head, pulling himself from is thoughts. 'Who cares about my hand? What the Hell happened to you?!'   
  
'Language,' she scolded her son.   
  
'Sorry. I mean, you look…well, nice, but how did you afford _that_?!' he asked, waving his hands about, showing that he meant her new suit. 'I know brand name when I see it.'   
  
Daisy blushed lightly and turned to pour herself another cup of coffee. 'If you must know, it was a gift.'   
  
'From who?'   
  
'My boyfriend.'   
  
'Next he'll be buying you a car.'   
  
'Speaking of which, I'm catching a carpool to work.'   
  
Jack poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter. He gave his mother a scrutinizing gaze. 'By "carpool" you mean you're hitching a ride with your boyfriend. Right?'   
  
'Nothing gets past you,' she remarked sarcastically. 'Now, are you going to tell me what happened to your hand?'   
  
'Nothing,' he replied and looked away.   
  
'Nothing my ass. Tell me what you did,' she demanded.   
  
'I didn't _do_ anything,' Jack replied defensively. 'I just...I dunno. I must've sleepwalked or something and accidentally cut it.'   
  
'Oh, Jack...' Daisy set her mug down and wrapped her arms around Jack.   
  
'Really, I'm fine!' Jack assured her, but returned the hug anyway.   
  
Daisy pulled apart from Jack and set him at arms' length. 'The moment it happens again, I want you to set up an appointment with a psychiatrist. Promise?'   
  
Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. 'I promise. Only if it happens again.'   
  
'Good. Now, get yourself ready for school.'   
  


~Later, at the locker...~

  
  
Will took out the books he would need and replaced the ones he didn't on his shelf, ignoring Elizabeth's rant about her neighbor's dog. He looked at the googley-eyed cotton ball that hung from one of the hooks and sighed. He wondered where Jack was and if he was even going to attend school that day. Will closed the locker and stepped back into someone that immediately wrapped their arms around him.   
  
'Nnnn...brains...,' Jack grunted into Will's ear before nibbling on it.   
  
'Jack?!' Will broke out of Jack's hold and spun around to face Jack. 'What do you think you're doing?'   
  
Jack looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. 'Saying "good morning."'   
  
'Interesting way to do so. Please don't do it again,' Will said dryly. He eyed Jack as if expecting him to attack again. As he looked at Jack, he noticed something was different with his self-proclaimed boyfriend. The makeup, braid, and earrings were all there. Jack was wearing almost all black--faded blue jeans, black boots, and a black, long-sleeved shirt that was one or two sizes too big for him.   
  
'Something wrong?' Jack asked, aware of the strange look Will was giving him.   
  
'No, but there's something different about you today.'   
  
'No collar?' Jack suggested.   
  
Will shook his head. 'No, that's not it...' He stepped closer to Jack and studied his face. 'That's it!'   
  
'What's it?!' Jack furrowed his brows in confusion. _God, don't tell me I have zit!_   
  
'Are you growing a moustache?'   
  
'Huh? No, why?'   
  
'You have stubble,' Will replied matter-of-factly.   
  
'I knew I forgot something...,' Jack commented as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.   
  
'It'd make you look less feminine, so by all means, grow one,' Will said with an innocent smile.   
  
'I... Hey! I do _not_ look feminine!'   
  
'Yes, you do.'   
  
Jack made to deck Will upside the head, and Will held up his hands in front of him in surrender.   
  
'Okay! You don't look like a chick at all! Just a...a little boy in drag! That better?'   
  
Jack didn't hear a word of what Will had said, focusing his attention on the gauze wrapped around Will's left hand instead. 'What'd you do to your hand?' he asked, taking Will's hand in his own to examine it more closely.   
  
'Huh? Oh, that. I, uh, was cutting up an apple, and the knife slipped,' Will lied. 'It's not that deep.'   
  
'A knife?'   
  
'Yea. Didn't realize it until after the damage was done.'   
  
'Oh.' Part of Jack was relieved that Will hadn't been hurt due to a dream like his, but another part wanted it that way. He wanted a special connection between himself and Will. 'You sure you're okay?'   
  
'I'm fine. What about you? Are you okay?'   
  
'Why?' Jack let go of Will's hand. _He couldn't know... Did he see my hand? I can't use a knife for an excuse. That's so gay!_   
  
'Just asking. I mean, after yesterday...' Will trailed off, looking to the floor. He hoped that Jack wouldn't blow up at him for worrying.   
  
It took a moment for Will's meaning to set in. 'Right! Yea, I'm fine! Itchin' for a smoke, but I'll live.'   
  
'You shouldn't smoke,' Will said flatly.   
  
'And _you_ shouldn't worry so much,' Jack retorted. 'Honestly, worrying too much will kill you before smoking does.'   
  
'Says who?'   
  
'Does it really matter?'   
  
Will rolled his eyes and the five-minute bell rang. 'We should get to class.'   
  
'Actually, I was gonna ditch and go job hunting. Wanna come with?'   
  
'You shouldn't ditch school.'   
  
'What? It's not like I haven't had the classes before. I just have to get passing grades in 'em.'   
  
'Jack...'   
  
'"Credit" is spelled with C's and D's,' quoted Jack.   
  
'I think we need to work out a reward system for you.'   
  
'My mom did that once--tried to bribe me with money. Thing was, I had a job and didn't need the extra money,' Jack explained. 'I think I missed a lot of school due to that job.'   
  
'Then how about for every A you get, it's a step up the relationship ladder,' Will suggested.   
  
'The what?'   
  
Will continued, not bothering to really explain. 'Right now we're on the bottom rung: kissing.'   
  
'So the better I do, the quicker I get into your pants?' Jack asked with a lecherous grin.   
  
Will lightly blushed. 'Something like that, but for every day you're absent, it's a penalty point. Five points brings you down a rung. So does anything below a B.'   
  
'What's a B get me?'   
  
'B's are neutral,' Will replied.   
  
'What?! That's not fair!' Jack threw his hands in the air exasperatedly.   
  
'Why not? _Anna_ has straight A's,' Will said, pointing at Anna as she slammed her locker shut.   
  
Anna looked curiously between the two before getting back to her conversation with Elizabeth.   
  
'Ah, so that means _you_ don't,' Jack said with an accusing glare.   
  
'I suck at Geography,' Will replied defensively, 'but at least I have a B in the class.'   
  
'Oh. How long did you cry over that grade?'   
  
Will sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 'Look, just...just go. Tardies count for half a penalty point.'   
  
'You mean individual classes?!' Jack sputtered, receiving a confirming nod from Will. 'Fuck,' he whined as he leaned against the locker and watched Will follow Elizabeth to class. _Dammit! That fucking so-called 'ladder' is kindling right now!_ Jack continued to berate himself as he headed to class, completely miserable and bored out of his wits for the rest of the day.   
  


~After school...~

  
  
Jack found Will after his last class stuffing books into his bag. 'Will! Darling, dearest, beloved! I've decided that I am in need of a tutor,' Jack said as he leaned against the neighboring locker, looking down at Will.   
  
Will looked up with a raised brow. 'In what subject?'   
  
'All of them,' Jack replied innocently.   
  
'Well, I have tomorrow off, so I guess we can start then.' Will stood and looked at the clock on the wall. 'I can't hang out today or anything, I've gotta get to work.'   
  
'I'll give ya' ride home then,' Jack offered as he wrapped his arm around Will's waist.   
  
Will nervously looked around and tried to pull away from Jack.   
  
Jack grinned and whispered into Will's ear 'You're the one that was so insistent that people here are quite accepting of others. Or was it all a lie?'   
  
'N-no... It's just that I uh... I'm not really comfortable with...'   
  
'Public display of affection?' Jack asked. He turned to Elizabeth as she fumbled with her papers and bag. 'Lizbeth, did you and Will ever publicly display your affection for each other?'   
  
She stared at Jack for a moment then at Will before smiling and answering. 'Oh, yes! If it weren't for you and Sam, I'd still be dating him, and I can guarantee we'd be getting a lot of "get a room" remarks right now,' she replied with a laugh then went back to stuffing her bag.   
  
Will glared at her. 'You're not supposed to encourage him!!'   
  
'Who said he needed encouragement?' Elizabeth shot back.   
  
Jack nodded and began nuzzling into Will's neck. 'I can't resist you in that cologne of yours. You smell just like a...a vanilla frappaccino. Yummy!' He licked the length of Will's neck to emphasize his point, sending shivers down Will's spine.   
  
Will pushed Jack off of himself and put a few steps between them. 'Actually, I think I'll just walk home.'   
  
'Nonsense! I said I'd give you a ride. After all, what sort of boyfriend would I be if I didn't cater to your needs?'   
  
Will gave up arguing with Jack and followed him to the car. It was a quick drive--much to Jack's disappointment. On the bright side, at least he got his goodbye kiss (after promising to do all his homework and catch up in his classes).   
  
After watching Will disappear into the house, Jack sighed and headed to the nearest gas station to purchase a carton of cigarettes. After his purchase, he returned to the car and lit up, sighing in relief to have the familiar smoke sifting through his lungs. He sat for a moment watching the smoke drift softly into the air. His nicotine craving sated, Jack started the car and headed over to the Milky MooMoo to brood over a cappuccino.   
  
Jack pulled in front of the coffee shop and stared warily at the 'help wanted' sign that hung in the window. He took one last drag from his cigarette before putting it out in the half-full ashtray before removing himself from the car and walked up to entrance.   
  
The inside was just as he remembered it. Black and white.   
  
'Swab the deck!' squawked the parrot.   
  
Jack ignored the parrot and went straight to the counter. Smiling, he punched the bell that sat there.   
  
Mr. Cotton looked from the bell to Jack. 'I'm right here, you know,' he said. True, he was standing just opposite of Jack behind the counter.   
  
'I know.'   
  
'What can I get you today?'   
  
'A job,' Jack replied.   
  
'Do you have a resume?'   
  
Jack frowned and slouched at the question. 'No, but if I can find a computer, I can jot one up for you.'   
  
'Then I guess you'll have to find a computer and type one up,' Cotton said with a smirk.   
  
'What if I find a typewriter and do it that way?'   
  
'As long as I get a resume.'   
  
'Great! I'll get one to you tomorrow,' Jack said happily. 'Now, about my drink.'   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: I'm hoping the next part won't take so long. (And will be longer.) But, it all depends on what the muses have in store. 


	15. Uneasy

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Uneasy' is a Faye Wong song.  
  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Jack and Will's first fight! Or is it just a repeat of one they've had before?  
  
_AN_: Thanks to everyone who offered me the use of their muses! ^__^ (You made mine jealous.)  
_To those who asked_: Yea? Well, yer not allowed to know what happens! Oh-hohoho!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Uneasy_   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jack was on his eighth try of typing up his resume when the phone rang, causing him to jump and typo 'and.' He ripped out the sheet of paper then picked up the phone. 'I'm busy!' he yelled into the receiver.   
  
'Well, excuse me!!' Will yelled back from the other side.   
  
'Will? Will! I'm sorry! I'm just really frustrated right now,' Jack explained. 'Er... Why are you calling?'   
  
'What, I'm not allowed to call you anymore?'   
  
'That's not what I meant.'   
  
'I'm off work now, and I was calling to see if you were doing your homework.'   
  
'I'll do it after I'm done with my fuckin' resume,' Jack promised and slipped another sheet of paper into the typewriter.   
  
'Where you applying to?'   
  
'The Creepy MooMoo.'   
  
'Not the tattoo parlor?' Will asked jokingly.   
  
Jack shrugged as he replied. 'I have a thing with needles.'   
  
'And yet you have a tattoo,' Will commented.   
  
'That was different.'   
  
'How so?'   
  
'I needed it.'   
  
'What?'   
  
'How can I explain this... Y'know when you're _really_ horny? Well, I _really_ needed a tattoo.'   
  
'That makes no sense.'   
  
'It makes perfect sense!' Jack insisted. 'I'm gonna get another one,' he added as he began typing his objective.   
  
'Why?'   
  
'Because I had a dream and it told me to get one.'   
  
'Do you do everything your dreams tell you to?'   
  
'So far,' Jack admitted.   
  
Will sighed and muttered something about Jack being a daft little bugger. 'I...gotta go now. I'll see you tomorrow.'   
  
'Right. Kiss-kiss!'   
  
'Kiss-kiss yourself.'   
  
Jack hung up the phone and went back to his typing. Tacking away, he barely noticed his mother come up from behind him.   
  
'How's it coming?' she asked.   
  
Jack looked from his hand-written version to the partially typed resume. He muttered a few curses when he realized that he'd typed out his mother's question. 'I was doing fine until you spoke.'   
  
Daisy laughed and shooed Jack from the typewriter. 'Here, I'll type it up for you,' she said, replacing the paper. Within three minutes Jack's resume was finished without fault, though she had to pause every so often to figure out Jack's handwriting. 'If you get it and get a discount, then I need hazelnut roast coffee beans,' she said as she handed the finished product to Jack.   
  
'I'll keep that in mind. Out of curiosity, do we have a calculator?'   
  
'Why?'   
  
'Math.'   
  
Daisy stared at Jack for a few moments before she found her voice. 'Math as in homework? You're actually going to do your homework?' she asked, still not believing her ears.   
  
'It's not like I have a choice,' Jack replied grudgingly.   
  
She smirked and patted Jack on the back. 'I get it. Bad grades means no nookie.'   
  
'Will's idea of a reward system,' he explained.   
  
Daisy nodded understandingly. She was beginning to really like Jack's new boyfriend.   
  
Jack had somehow finished his homework before one in the morning. He was amazed at how distracting antenna TV could be. But, in any case, he'd caught up in all his classes and was ready for a good night's sleep. His dreams, however, had other plans.   
  


~The next morning at Will's...~

  
  
Will awoke in the morning sobbing uncontrollably. _It was just a dream!_ he told himself. _If it was just a dream, why can't I stop crying?!_ He pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them tightly.   
  
'Will?' Will's mother gently knocked on the door before letting herself in. 'Will, what's wrong?' she asked and sat next to Will on the bed. She pulled Will into a hug and rocked him back and forth. 'Shh. It's okay.'   
  
Will clinged onto her and cried into her shoulder. 'He's dead!' he sobbed out.   
  
'What? Who's dead?'   
  
'Jack. He's dead and never coming back!'   
  
'Oh, honey! It was only a bad dream.' She pulled apart from Will and gave him a small smile. 'It was just a bad dream,' she repeated.   
  
'B-but it was so real,' he argued.   
  
Mrs. Turner wiped away Will's tears and lightly kissed his forehead. 'You should get some more rest. I'll call into school for you.'   
  
'No!' Will backed from his mother and forced a smile. 'No... You're right. It was just a stupid dream. I just...'   
  
'You want to make sure he's alright,' she offered.   
  
'Yes.'   
  
'Okay, but if you feel like coming home early, then do so.'   
  
'Thanks, Mom.'   
  
Will went to school early and waited in front of the locker for Jack. Elizabeth showed up and told him off for not meeting her outside as he normally did. She backed off when she saw Will's puffy, red eyes. She then began drilling Will about what was wrong.   
  
Jack eventually showed up, looking extremely disheveled. Will wasted no time in jumping him.   
  
Will threw his arms around Jack and planted a kiss on Jack's unsuspecting lips.   
  
'W-wha...' Jack looked at Will with a dazed expression. 'What was that for?'   
  
Will lightly blushed and looked down. 'I uh...had a bad dream last night, and you...you were dead.' He looked back into Jack's eyes. 'It was so real. I thought that I'd really lost you.'   
  
Jack was a little shaken by Will's confession, but forced a smile anyway. 'Whaddya know? I had a nightmare, too. Fancy that.'   
  
'You did?' Will asked. 'Don't tell me I died in it...'   
  
'Nah, you were in it at the beginning. You were still alive when last I checked,' Jack replied. 'She died.' He pointed at Anna, who was fixing her mascara in the locker mirror. She looked at Jack then gave him a dirty look. 'Fine! That's the last time I try to save your ass in a dream.'   
  
'Yea, I know my ass is dreamy,' she replied with a sweet smile as she packed her makeup away and walked off.   
  
'But you're okay, and that's all that matters!' Will said, cutting Jack off from whatever insult he was going to throw at Anna with a kiss.   
  
Jack blinked confusedly at Will for a moment. 'Maybe I need to die more often if this is what you're going to be like,' he said and pulled Will in for a deeper kiss.   
  
'As much as I'd love to watch the two of you, we have class,' Elizabeth said as she pried the two boys apart. 'And you,' she turned to Jack, 'don't jinx yourself.'   
  
Jack stuck his tongue at her. 'I can jinx myself if I want to.'   
  
Lunch rolled around, and Will had finally gotten over Jack's supposed death. Jack, on the other hand, was still a bit put off. After all, his nightmare had been about the same thing. It wasn't as if he'd never had the dream before, but last night's version wasn't just small and incomplete glimpses. His dream continued in the fashion of the previous ones and ended with his ship and crew being mangled to bits against the unseen rocks during a storm. He shuddered as the images flashed through his mind.   
  
'Jack?'   
  
He put on a smile and turned to Will. 'Yes, luv?'   
  
'You didn't hear a word I said.' Will shook his head disapprovingly and went back to playing tic-tac-toe with Elizabeth.   
  
'Well, I'm listening now.'   
  
'I wanted to know if we were still on for tonight,' Will said. He frowned as Elizabeth drew a line through her three O's.   
  
'Of course we are! Why wouldn't we be?'   
  
Will shrugged and replied. 'It was just a question. You said you were trying to get a job, so I thought that you'd want to postpone in case you got an interview,' he explained.   
  
'That's so sweet of you!' Jack hugged Will tightly. 'If you were any sweeter, I could grind you up and stick you on the rim of glass.'   
  
'Grind me up? What the Hell are you on about?!' Will reluctantly pulled Jack off of himself and gave him a perplexed look.   
  
'Drinking reference,' Jack replied nonchalantly.   
  
'Is everything drinking with you?' Will asked. He gathered his things and got up from the table.   
  
'Not everything.' Jack stood and followed Will. 'There's eating, sleeping, and you.'   
  
Will rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smile that surfaced.   
  


~After school...~

  
  
Jack and Will went to the Milky MooMoo right after their last class. Once inside, Will headed off to 'talk' with the parrot. Jack went up to the counter and dinged the bell.   
  
Mr. Cotton came out from the back of the store and eyed Jack. 'So, you've returned, have you?'   
  
'Yeah, lucky you, huh?' Jack proudly slapped his resume on the counter. 'And I've brought you my resume.'   
  
Mr. Cotton picked up Jack's resume and glance over it. 'Alright,' he said as he crumpled up the sheet of paper, 'you're hired.'   
  
Jack gaped as all his hard work was tossed into a waste basket. 'You have no idea how long it took me to type that up,' he said miserably when he finally found his voice.   
  
'But you would have procrastinated or not even bother if you didn't really want the job,' Cotton pointed out.   
  
'Right... So when do I start?'   
  
'Right now.'   
  
'Now?'   
  
'Your friend looks like he could use some help,' Cotton replied with a laugh as he pointed to where Will was sitting atop a table. He'd been cornered there by the parrot.   
  
'Now that's rich. Can't I just leave him there?'   
  
'I'd rather you didn't. Now go do your job, or you're fired.'   
  
'Yeah, yeah... Threatened on my first day. I have a new record.' Jack walked up to Will and stood next to the parrot. 'Having difficulties?'   
  
Will glared at Jack. 'It won't leave me alone.'   
  
'Aww. That's 'cuz he likes you!' He laughed at the look Will gave him then shooed the bird away. 'There. You're safe.'   
  
'My hero,' Will replied dryly. He accepted Jack's offered hand and hopped off the table.   
  
'If you'd rather I'd left you with the bird...?'   
  
'Are you done here yet?' Will asked huffily.   
  
Jack nodded and called back to Mr. Cotton. 'Hey, old man! I'll be back same time tomorrow.'   
  
'Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?' Cotton asked. 'Respect your elders.'   
  
'Tell ya' what, slap it on a T-shirt and I'll think about it,' Jack said as he escorted Will out the door.   
  
Cotton shook his head and looked to the parrot, who had found its way behind the counter. 'Why do I have the feeling I'm going to regret hiring him?'   
  
'Awrk! Shiver me timbers!' the parrot answered.   
  


~Later, at Will's...~

  
  
Jack pulled a chair up to the kitchen table. 'So why can't we study in your room?' he asked as Will set out the books they'd need.   
  
'After what happened the last time?'   
  
'Oh, come off it!' Jack leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes. 'It doesn't happen all that often anyway.'   
  
'Well, maybe I wouldn't worry so much if you gave me an explanation as to _why_ it happened!' Will shot back.   
  
Jack glared back at Will then looked away. 'Thirteen years ago, I almost drowned.'   
  
'What does downing have to do with anything?' Will asked.   
  
'If you'd shut up, I'd gladly explain it.' Jack waited for Will to snap back with something. He was actually hoping Will would, then he could prolong the inevitable a little longer. He sighed in defeat and continued. 'After my drowning incident, I've had nightmares of drowning in the middle of the ocean. There's other people and lots of blood and...just really disturbing. Not only have I gotten dreams--that have progressively become more graphic and detailed over the years--I pass out, which you've experienced first hand. I think the passing out bit has something to do with how a room's set up. Feng Shui, you know. So, something triggers it, and I go straight into dream mode.'   
  
'Bad Feng Shui makes you faint?' Will asked skeptically.   
  
'No... How can I explain this? Remember how I was on your bed and you were standing in the doorway?' Will nodded. 'I slipped into La-la Land, and it was set up much the same as your room: Me on the bed, you at the door, and all the jazz.'   
  
'That doesn't make any sense.'   
  
'Hey, try being the one it fuckin' happens to!' Jack retorted defensively.   
  
'Well, I'm not, so I find it kinda hard to believe.'   
  
'It doesn't even happen twice under the same circumstances. I'll be fine, I swear!'   
  
'Now you're just trying to get me alone in the privacy of my room,' Will pointed out.   
  
'Kitchen works fine for me.'   
  
'Stop changing the subject.'   
  
'Honestly...Ashley didn't give a shit,' Jack muttered mostly to himself.   
  
'What?!'   
  
Jack's eyes widened when he realized what he said. 'Uh...nothing! Nothing at all. We should start studying, don't you think?' he suggested uneasily.   
  
Will crossed his arms and glared daggers at Jack in response. _That little shit. How dare he compare me to his ex?!_  
  
'Look, I'm really sorry! It just slipped,' Jack apologized. 'And it's not like you can be all high and mighty about it! From what I've heard, you've dated every single girl in this town!'   
  
'I have not!'   
  
'Too many? Ran out of time?'   
  
'Well, at least none of _my_ exes ever cheated on me,' Will commented, figuring that would shut Jack up.   
  
'He probably did it because he caught _me_ cheating on _him_,' Jack replied wistfully.   
  
Will narrowed his eyes and asked in a dangerously low tone 'You what?'   
  
'That's right. I never really explained the whole story as to why we broke up. Let me lay it out for you' Jack said as he leaned forward. He grinned to himself for having the chance to get back at Will for the cheating comment. 'He caught me being overly friendly with Sammy, so he decided to make me jealous by being even friendlier with his roommate. I found out and got Sammy to go steady with me--she was quite enthusiastic about the whole charade,' he elaborated. 'Ashley then took me camping as an apology, then he stole my car and ditched me in the middle of nowhere as revenge. After a day's worth of hitchhiking back, I grabbed up another boyfriend, who I'd been rather affectionate with whenever Ashley was around.' He paused then added 'And when I say "affectionate" I mean just short of fucking his brains out in public. And that was when Ashley finally broke down and apologized for real.   
  
'I must say, I've never really been impressed by roses, but getting three dozen long-stemmed roses during a stressful day at work will change your mind like that. Four days later, I went to his apartment and found him fucking his roommate. That, was the last straw for me.' He finished with a shrug, figuring that he and Will were even.   
  
'So what was that "frigid bitch" statement about? From what you're telling me, you were quite the minx.'   
  
'That was Kyle's remark,' he replied. 'All because I wouldn't let him take me.'   
  
'Virgin my ass.'   
  
'Never said I was one.' Jack regretted his words the moment they left his mouth.   
  
'You slept with him!' Will accused in a British accent.   
  
'Him? Him who?' Jack asked innocently in his own accent.   
  
'Don't toy with me. You bloody slept with him! Admit it!' Will slammed his fist on the table for emphasis.   
  
Jack thought for a moment then answered 'Not this time around.'   
  
'Hah! So you do admit it! You fucked around with Barbossa!'   
  
'What, did you expect me to remain celibate until I found true love? We can't all be bloody fuckin' eunuchs!' Jack smirked at the undignified look Will gave him.   
  
'I could handle the whores. You didn't tiptoe around about them. But _Barbossa_?! Why did you even bother lying about your relationship with him? Did you actually think that I wouldn't find out?'   
  
'In all honesty, I really didn't think it mattered.'   
  
'Well, it _does_ matter! More so now than if you had come clean in the first place!'   
  
'Ye never asked!'   
  
'I shouldn't have to!!'   
  
Jack rolled his eyes and leaned back in the chair. 'It's in the past. What more does it matter?'   
  
'Elizabeth got you drunk and burned down half an island along with an entire stockpile of rum. That's in the past, but you still hold a grudge against her.'   
  
'That was different! Ye can't use that against me.'   
  
'I should have let you hang.'   
  
'All because of one mistake?!'   
  
'I highly doubt that you thought it was a "mistake" at the time.'   
  
'Or maybe _you're_ the mistake. Maybe I should have let Barbossa slice your throat and run off with him.'   
  
'Get out.'   
  
Jack snapped back to reality. He knew they were arguing, but he couldn't remember what about. 'What?'   
  
'Get the fuck out of my house before I throw you out,' Will calmly replied.   
  
_The calm before the storm... Leaving probably would be a good idea,_ Jack thought to himself. He stood and grabbed his bag. He left through the kitchen door, well aware of Will's eyes imagining many possible deaths for him.   
  
Once Jack was out the door, Will held his head in his hands, wondering what had just happened. He didn't remember why he was so pissed at Jack, but he was certain that Jack had betrayed his trust somehow.   
  
And he wasn't about to let Jack off the hook.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: Warning: The evil muse has plans for two and a half chapters... 


	16. Time is Ticking Out

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Time is Ticking Out' is a Cranberries song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Shorter than I intended. Not the ending I wanted to have for this chapter.  
  
_AN_: And here we get to meet Sammy...ish. When writer's block strikes...end the chapter.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Time is Ticking Out_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jack arrived home and made a beeline for the makeshift liquor cabinet. He poured himself a liberal amount of rum and plopped himself onto the couch. After a few minutes of mindless channel surfing, he gave up on trying to find anything decent on the six and a half channel the TV picked up. He stood and retreated to his room.   
  
A few hours later, his mother arrived home. She bid her farewell to her escort and closed the door. 'Jack? Are you home?' When no answer came, she ventured into Jack's room to look for him. She knew she saw his car outside. Her boyfriend made a big deal about the old convertible, and began asking a lot of questions on whether or not Jack was planning on fully restoring the vehicle.   
  
She found Jack passed out on his bed. She walked over to him and nudged him awake. 'Hey, sleepyhead,' she said fondly.   
  
Jack looked up at her groggily. 'You're in a good mood. Who died?' he asked.   
  
'See my earrings?' She tilted her head from side to side to show off the jeweled studs.   
  
Jack sat up for a closer look. 'Oh, my God! Are those real?!'   
  
Daisy nodded excitedly. She took one of the earrings off and handed it to Jack. 'One carat each.'   
  
'What kind of psycho gets his girlfriend diamonds on their first week of dating?' Jack asked as he watched the light glitter off the diamond.   
  
'Wally's not a psycho!' She snatched the earring back and put it back on her lobe.   
  
Jack smirked. 'You're dating a guy named Wally? No one is named Wally.'   
  
'It's short for Wallace,' she explained.   
  
'Wally, Wallace. It's the same thing. No normal person has that name.'   
  
'What about Wallace and Gromit?'   
  
'I rest my case.'   
  
She rolled her eyes and left the room.   
  


_~The next morning...~_

  
  
Will awoke the next morning in tears once again. He had the same horrible feeling that Jack was dead as the morning before, but knew it wasn't possible. He dragged himself out of bed and got dressed. He pulled his shirt over his head and looked at the bandages that decorated his hand. His eyes narrowed as all the anger and resentment towards Jack flooded back. He clenched his hand into a fist, remembering Jack's confession of his twisted relationship with Ashley. Will had the feeling there was more to it than just that, but couldn't put his finger on it. He decided not to dwell on the matter. He already had enough anger clouding his thoughts, no need to make it worse by brooding over it. He opened his hand to see small dots of blood surfacing on the gauze.   
  


_~At the locker...~_

  
  
Jack waited silently by the locker for Will to arrive. He hadn't exactly had the best night's sleep and was still a bit out of it when Will finally did arrive.   
  
Will chose to ignore Jack's presence. He switched out his books in the locker as Jack spouted apology after apology. He was aware of the irritation and desperation building in Jack's voice and smiled to himself. _Doesn't like being ignored, huh?_ Will closed the locker and walked off to class, Elizabeth quickly following him in confusion.   
  
Anna looked from Will's retreating form to Jack, who looked hopelessly lost. 'What the Hell did you do?' she asked accusingly and crossed her arms.   
  
Jack glared at her and snapped 'How the fuck should I know?!'   
  
'Because you're the one that did it. Obviously,' she spat back.   
  
'It's none of your damn business anyway,' he said and stalked off to the nearest exit.   
  
Jack went home and moped around for a bit. He lingered about the liquor cabinet, staring at the bottles. After half an hour had passed, he gave up on finding anything decent to drink and wandered into the living room to watch daytime television. He dozed off on the ouch watching one talk show or another that was going on about thirteen year olds dressed like prostitutes.   
  
For once, Jack's dreams had taken a turn for calmer, if not morbid, waters. He found himself standing in a snow-covered field. He looked around and noted how everything was in black and white. Everything, that is, except for the crimson blood that flowed freely from the corpses and stained the snow about them. He couldn't make out the faces, but he was well aware of the expressions that graced them. A shrill ring sounded from somewhere in the distance, and the sky illuminated in blue. Another ring, and the sky went red. By the third ring, he realized it was the phone.   
  
Pulling himself into a sitting position, he fumbled with the receiver and answered.   
  
'Southpark PokeCenter, Jack speaking,' he said.   
  
'Glad to hear you're still in the habit,' a female voice responded. Jack recognized it as Sammy's.   
  
He leaned back into the couch. 'What habit?'   
  
'You're not in school, gaywad,' she answered as if it were the most obvious thing.   
  
'Oh, that. I have my reasons. How did you get my phone number?'   
  
'Internet.'   
  
'Really?' He cocked his head to the side, wondering if she truly did find his phone number on the internet.   
  
'No, stupid. You called me when you got the phone installed.'   
  
'Still doesn't mean I gave it to you.'   
  
'Are you that oblivious to the wonders of electrical gadgets?'   
  
Jack opened his mouth to answer, but thought better of it. Sammy always had a way of turning one's words around. He chose a safer route. 'So, what did you want?'   
  
'Nothing big.'   
  
'I doubt your view of "big" is the same as mine.'   
  
'I just need a place to crash for my layover.'   
  
'What layover...?' he ventured.   
  
'I'm going to Paris, and I have a layover in Boston for a day,' she replied.   
  
'And I suppose it was accidental,' he added with a hint of sarcasm.   
  
'Not really,' she admitted. 'I thought you'd miss me. I'm going out of my way for you!'   
  
'Seems more like I'm going of my way,' Jack flipped through the channels, lamenting the obvious lack of cable programming, 'for you to go out of yours for me.'   
  
'It's the same thing.'   
  
'I'll give you my address and you can grab a taxi down.'   
  
'Fuck that! You're picking me up!'   
  
'I don't want to.'   
  
'I'll tell Hector you're being mean,' Sammy warned.   
  
'What should he care?'   
  
'He's my new boyfriend,' she proudly stated.   
  
'Your...what...?' The was no way that he could have heard her correctly.   
  
'Yeah, we have an understanding, too,' she embellished as Jack shook his head in denial. 'He can sleep around, and so can I. We just have to be very careful with protection and what-not. Blood tests and everything. It's great.' She let out a happy sigh and continued. 'But I'm not sure if I'm allowed to sleep with you. Threesome, perhaps. 'Cuz he'd get pissed if I managed to get you into bed when he couldn't.'   
  
'And he's letting you call him "Hector"?' Jack asked, changing the subject. 'I thought he hated that name.'   
  
'He does, but screaming "Ashley" makes me think I'm being fucked by a chick with a strap-on.'   
  
'I don't want to know about your sex life.'   
  
'That's just because you're jealous,' she said with sadistic glee, then twisted the dagger by pointing out, 'You don't have one.'   
  
'Well, _yours_ is okay,' he corrected himself, 'but Ash's is a whole other story. Besides, I'm waiting.'   
  
'For what? The perfect man?' she scoffed. 'Tell ya' what, I'll give you a gingerbread man, then you can fuck me.'   
  
'Actually, I've found the perfect man, thank you. Plus, I know where your cunt's been, and I want nothing to do with your nether regions.' It was a well-known fact that Sammy was a bit of a slut (not that she cared). She worked at Déjà Vu on the weekends and went through more jealous boyfriends quicker than anyone Jack knew. She was also known to put out on the second date--first if they took her somewhere expensive.   
  
'So? How far did you get? I want all the dirty details.' To the embarrassment of most of her exes...she told everything, and expected to be told everything in return.   
  
Jack could hear the bouncing eagerness of Sammy's voice. 'Nowhere,' he replied ruefully. 'I mentioned Ashley and he got pissed.'   
  
'You compared him to Hector,' she reiterated flatly. If Jack's new love interest was like any other normal person, there was no way he'd put up with being compared to an old flame.   
  
'Not on purpose!'   
  
'Everything you do is on purpose.' She sighed at her oncoming headache. 'I don't really want to get into this with you right now. Just pick me up on Saturday. I'll pay you!' she added in desperation when Jack let out a whine.   
  
'Fine. Whatever. When?'   
  
'Thanks! It'll be around 9:00 your time. Logan International Airport--that's in Boston.' She had to consult her ticket to find what gate she would be at.   
  
Jack scribbled the time and place on the back of an envelope. 'If I'm late, it's not my fault,' he commented, realizing he had no idea where the airport was.   
  
'Fine, but if my plane crashes, I'm blaming you. Gotta blame you for something.'   
  
'And if your plane crashes into my car, and I die a virgin, I'm blaming you.'   
  
'Why? I've made plenty of offers.'   
  
'You could have always just jumped me. I don't have that much self control,' Jack admitted.   
  
'Well, look on the bright side,' she said, 'Slasher Flick Rule Number One: The virgin never dies. So have fun with your immortality while it lasts.'   
  
'It's a miracle you're still alive,' Jack teased.   
  
'I'll gladly pencil you in for Death's waiting list.'   
  
'Sorry, luv, job's been taken. He just doesn't know it yet.'   
  
'You're gonna introduce me to him, right?'   
  
'If we're speaking again.'   
  
'Then you better work your ass off and get back on his good side if you're expecting to get him in the sack. It sounds like he actually has morals compared to our crowd. Ooh, I gotta go before the phone bill gets too high. Later, Jacky Jo!'   
  
'Bye-bye, Hong Xin Ling,' he replied in sing-song and hung up the phone, barely catching Sammy's warning of not to call her by her full name.   
  
Jack moped around the apartment for a few more hours before he headed to his new job. As he pulled in front of the building, he had to remind himself that it was not a chain like Starbucks, so there would be no relieving his employer of excess office supplies. Unless, of course, his new boss pissed him off, but he doubted that it was likely to happen. He felt a strange attachment to the old man.   
  
Jack found out that working under Mr. Cotton was pretty easy. The dress code was lax (clean clothes, and a tied off half apron). When Jack asked about his piercings, Cotton replied by showing off his tongue ring, followed by a lovely story about when it was infected. Morbid curiosity kept his attention during the tale as he filled out paper work.   
  
Cotton informed Jack that there were three times for rushes: before work, lunch hour, and after work for the 9-5 office workers. When the five o'clock rush rolled by, Jack was surprised that Cotton referred to it as a 'rush.'   
  
A little later, Cotton challenged Jack to a game of poker. After a few rounds of losing all his sugar packets, Jack caught on that Cotton was cheating. He then inspected the cards more closely to find that they were marked. He cursed himself for not realizing sooner. A couple hands later and it was closing time. Jack had won back most of his sugar packets and a few creamers, as well as his pride.   
  
When Jack arrived back home, he found the apartment empty. He didn't think much of it and went to fridge to forage. On the fridge was a note from his mother.   
  
_At Wally's. Staying the night. Love, Mom_   
  
'At least someone's getting laid,' Jack muttered to no one in particular. Ignoring the note for the time being he continued on his quest for snacks. He made up some popcorn and crashed on the couch for the night.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: Yea...so Ashley is Barbossa. ^__^ (If my name were 'Hector,' I'd go by middle name as well.) And for those of you that are all 'Eww! Jack and Barbossa? Eww!': Think of it this way, Jack was ten years younger, ten years dumber, and Barbossa was ten years cuter. *nods* Or so I justify it.  
Anyway, the airport's real, Sammy's Chinese name is real, and those earrings are real. I want them.  
I hate this chapter, too. Just couldn't think of anything.


	17. My 16th Apology

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'My 16th Apology' is a Shakespear's Sister song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: None, really. No more happy fighting. Cameo by my first car.  
  
_AN_: This has been done for a while, but I wanted to have the next bit done before I posted this one. But, hey! Two for one chapter posting! ^__^ (Just don't kill me.)  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
My 16th Apology_  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Will fumbled with the combination lock of the locker. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and it was showing. He rested his head against the locker and closed his eyes. He simply couldn't concentrate hard enough to focus on turning the numbered dial. Unfortunately, shutting his eyes didn't help any; it sent a rush of gruesome images to the front of his mind. Images of men he recognized from his earlier dreams fighting for their lives against the unforgiving sea. He hadn't seen it, but he knew for certain that Jack had been there.   
  
'You alright?' Elizabeth asked from beside him.   
  
Will mutely nodded.   
  
'You sure? You look a little pale. Maybe you should go home. Get some rest or something,' she said. 'No offense, Will, but you look like shit.'   
  
'Well...Jack and I haven't been getting along, so that might be it. We had a fight,' Will said and gave Elizabeth a reassuring smile. 'Nothing to get worked up about.'   
  
'Anything else? Are you sure it has nothing to do with the dreams you've been having?'   
  
Will hesitated in answering, and Elizabeth nodded knowingly.   
  
'Right. Do you work tonight?'   
  
'What? Um, no. Why?'   
  
'We're going to have ourselves a little talk. After school. At your house,' she said, glaring at Will in a way that told him there was no way out of it.   
  
'Really, Lizzie, there's no need. I can handle it myself,' Will said in a fruitless attempt to get out of it.   
  
'Oh, yes. You're handling it quite well!' she said in exasperation. 'You look dead tired, and I doubt your eyes are bloodshot from chlorine.' She stalked off to class before Will could get another word in.   
  
Will slammed his fist into the locker, hurting himself more than the locker. 'Dammit!'   
  


_~After school, at Will's...~_

  
  
Will set his bag next to his desk and leaned against the wall. He glared at Elizabeth as she sat herself on his bed. 'Let's get this lecture over with. Shall we?'   
  
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. 'I'm not going to lecture you about anything,' she insisted.   
  
'Then why are we here?'   
  
'Will, where's my book?' she asked calmly.   
  
'What book? What does a book have to do with anything?!'   
  
'My dream book, genius,' she retorted. 'And it has everything to do with anything.'   
  
Will grabbed the book from inside his desk and tossed it at Elizabeth. 'There. Satisfied?'   
  
Elizabeth flipped through the pages. Once she found what she was looking for, she stood up and crossed the room over to Will. 'Now,' she said, 'before we do anything else, I want you to know that if Sam asks, _I didn't meddle_.'   
  
'Meddle?' Will asked. 'Meddle with what?'   
  
'This.' She put the book in Will's hands and pointed at the page. 'Read,' she instructed.   
  
'This is so stupid.' Will looked where Elizabeth pointed and read aloud in an annoyed voice. 'Though some dreams may be windows into the future, others are reflections of the past. Past actions that we regret having done. Incidents that we have erased from our memories trying to resurface. Some even believe that these reflective dreams go so far as to show us as we and those around us were in past lives. But...' Will trailed off and reread the last sentence. _Past lives? That can't be...but... Is it even possible?_ he asked himself, already knowing the answer. He looked back at Elizabeth, who was looking quite pleased with herself.   
  
'Y-you...you knew all along?!'   
  
She nodded smugly. 'Remember that month before I started dating Sam?'   
  
'That was a year ago,' he replied. _She's known for a year?_ 'Why...why didn't you say anything?' he asked. He was feeling betrayed that his best friend (_of two lifetimes,_ he reminded himself) hadn't said a word to him.   
  
'Would you have believed me?' she countered.   
  
'No,' Will replied miserably. 'So...all the things in my dreams really happened?'   
  
'Yeah! Isn't it great?'   
  
'Great? _Great?!_ Lizzie, I died! I remember dying! I remember having my life threatened, being chased around by living skeletons, and _dying_!'   
  
'At least you died in bed! _I_ got stuck in a fuckin' earthquake!'   
  
Will ignored Elizabeth and took the bandage off his hand and showed the healing cut to her. 'I woke up from one of those dreams with this!'   
  
Elizabeth took his hand in hers and examined it. 'Mine was deeper,' she said, announcing her conclusion.   
  
_That's right, she was cut as well. I wonder..._ 'Did you notice if Jack has one?'   
  
'How should I know? He's _your_ boyfriend. Why do you ask?'   
  
'He's been having these dreams, too. Do you think he knows?'   
  
'Jack? Who knows with him?' she replied thoughtfully. 'He never was one to let on about himself.'   
  
Will nodded in agreement. 'My dreams,' he explained in response to her confused look, 'they've been focused around Jack's death. Do you think it means he's going to die soon?'   
  
Elizabeth shrugged and pondered the question. 'Maybe. I'd keep him away from boats for a while. Just to be on the safe side,' she said in much the same way of a doctor prescribing a drug. 'But I don't think Fate'd be _that_ cruel--taking him away from you after you two just found each other.'   
  
Will gave her a worried look. 'I gotta find him,' he said and left the room.   
  
'Right. I'll just show myself out then.' She looked around the room and grinned. She opened the closet and took out a large jar of coins. She sat in the middle of the floor and wrote out 'Lizzie kicks ass' with the spare change. After making a few flowers and hearts, she tossed the empty jar on the bed and left.   
  


_~At the Milky MooMoo...~_

  
  
Jack finished his newest creation and called after Cotton to show it off. 'Look what I made!'   
  
Cotton warily eyed the concoction in Jack's hand. 'What is it?'   
  
'Four shots of espresso, chocolate sauce, steamed milk, mini marshmallows, lots of cinnamon, and whip cream. I'd add some crème de menthe, but you don't have any.' He looked disappointed that Cotton didn't stock liquor.   
  
'You're a little young to be drinking, so I'm glad I don't.'   
  
'Only in America,' Jack pointed out. 'Anyway, I figure we come up with a name for it and charge about five bucks,' he said then took a swig of his new drink.   
  
'That's a bit overpriced, don't you think?'   
  
'Everything's overpriced in a coffee shop. You can buy drink mix for twenty servings at a store for the same price as one here. People are just too ignorant to notice that we're robbing 'em blind.'   
  
'What are we going to do with you?'   
  
'Maroon me on a tropical island paradise?' Jack suggested. 'Though I don't think I'd appreciate it very much.'   
  
The bell on the door chimed and Jack looked to see who it was. His eyes narrowed upon seeing Will.   
  
'Jack!' There was relief in Will's voice as he approached the counter. 'Jack, we need to talk.'   
  
Jack set his drink on the counter and turned his back on Will then addressed Cotton. 'Mr. Cotton, would you be so kind as to inform Mr. Turner that I tried talking to him before, but he chose to ignore my attempts.'   
  
'I'm not going to be anyone's messenger boy. Tell him yourself,' Cotton relied in amusement.   
  
'Jack, please! Just listen to me!' Will begged.   
  
'Why should I?' Jack asked and turned to face will. 'I apologized for what I said, but you just threw it back in my face.'   
  
'Look, I'm sorry about that. Right now, I really need to talk to you. It's important.'   
  
'It'll have to wait. I'm working,' Jack said with a smirk.   
  
Will's face dropped. _Now what? Bribing used to work, but I don't have anything. Of all the times to be underage._   
  
'Go on. Take the night off. I can handle things here,' Cotton said.   
  
'You're not helping,' Jack hissed at him.   
  
'Trust me, kiddo, you'll thank me later. Now go,' Cotton said as he pushed Jack out form behind the counter.   
  
Will gave Cotton a grateful look, to which he nodded.   
  
Jack slumped into one of the chairs at a nearby table. He gestured the seat across from him. 'Well? I'm waiting.'   
  
Will glanced uncertainly at Cotton. 'Actually, I was hoping for somewhere more private.'   
  
Jack rolled his eyes and addressed Cotton. 'We're gay,' he said bluntly, waving his hand between Will and himself. 'Any problems with that?'   
  
'None that I'm aware of,' Cotton replied. _It was painfully obvious anyway,_ he mentally added.   
  
'That's not what I meant. It has nothing to with our relationship--well, it does, but not like that. I mean...' Will looked at the floor in embarrassment. How could he explain what he meant without really explaining?   
  
Jack stood up and rested his hand on Will's shoulder. 'Fine. Where would you like to talk?'   
  
'Would my car be alright? I mean, it hasn't got an open top,' Will added quickly when a familiar glint flashed in Jack's eyes.   
  
'Lead the way.' He motioned for Will to go ahead of him and followed in silence.   
  
Once they were both sitting inside Will's car (a teal colored '91 Geo Metro), Will took a deep breath. Should he tell Jack what Elizabeth told him? It probably wouldn't be the brightest choice. Who knew how Jack would react?   
  
'Well?' Jack prompted. 'I haven't got all day.'   
  
'Um... You remember Tuesday?'   
  
'I vaguely recall it.'   
  
'And how I had that dream of you dying?' Will continued.   
  
'So what? I dream of dying all the time. Lots of fun,' Jack said sarcastically.   
  
Will sighed and tried to explain what he was getting at. 'I've been having that dream since then. And I just...I'm worried, Jack.'   
  
'Worried? About what?'   
  
'You!' Will answered more frantically than he'd intended. 'I mean, what if my dreams mean that you're going to die soon?'   
  
'Highly doubtful. What's it matter to you anyway?'   
  
'It does matter, Jack! I blew things out of proportion.' He paused then continued more quietly. 'I realize that now. I still want to pursue a relationship with you.'   
  
Jack smiled. 'Does this mean I'm forgiven?' he asked as he edged closer to Will.   
  
Will returned the smile, but leaned back a little. 'Yes, you're forgiven. Just try not to bring up your exes in such...detail from now on.'   
  
Jack grinned and leaned closer. 'Since we're back on speaking terms, we should celebrate.'   
  
Will bumped his head against the window and cursed having such a small car. 'Um...shouldn't you get back to work?'   
  
'I got the rest of the day off,' Jack replied. 'Why are you all shy again? I thought we were past all this.'   
  
'Well, it's just...' _I can't help thinking that once we start, we won't stop, and it'll be just like old times, and..._ '...How can you jump right back into this like nothing happened?'   
  
'Quite easily,' Jack replied and scooted closer to Will. 'Can't you feel it?' He cupped Will's face with his hand and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. 'It's just right.'   
  
Will looked away as his mind reeled. With that one kiss, he could remember all the other ones like it he'd shared with Jack. Each different yet the same--mostly in that they all lead to a good romp under the sheets. _I can get out of this. He doesn't know that I know what he used to know,_ he said to himself. He slowly met Jack's eyes again. He could see the expectant flare that lay behind them. _Shit. I want to. I really do, but not now. Not so soon._ 'Um. What are you doing Saturday morning?' he asked.   
  
'Same thing I do every morning,' Jack replied jovially. 'Try to take over the world!' He received the same look to expect of someone that misses their prescribed dosage of Saturday morning cartoons.   
  
'Well, you obviously haven't succeeded yet, so would you like to...I dunno... Do something?' Will felt his face heat up at the hungry look Jack gave him. _There was nothing suggestive about that. I don't think..._   
  
'I'd love to--oh, wait.' Jack faltered as he remembered his earlier plans.   
  
'What?'   
  
'I have to go somewhere Saturday morning,' he replied regretfully.   
  
'Where?'   
  
'Boston.'   
  
Fear gripped Will's stomach. 'Boston? Why?'   
  
'Have to pick up a friend. Sammy. She's staying the weekend on her way to Paris.'   
  
'Oh. Alright.' _It's only an hour drive...and it's not like he's going to be on a boat or anywhere near the open sea._   
  
'You can stay at my place Saturday night,' Jack offered. 'It'll be one big sleepover.'   
  
'Sounds like fun,' Will said with false conviction.   
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_AN II_: I admit it. I'm a little sadistic around the edges.


	18. Antidisestablishmentarianism

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Antidisestablishmentarianism' is not a song. It's a word I picked up from Blackadder.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Cliffhanger. People driving with cell phones.  
  
_AN_: Yay! We get to meet Daisy Jo's boyfriend!   
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Antidisestablishmentarianism_  
  


Will waited in front of the locker for Jack to arrive. At least, he hoped Jack would show up. His dream from last night took the cake for the rest of his dreams, bringing new meaning to 'It was a dark and stormy night.'   
  
It certainly left little doubt for Will about Jack's death. He couldn't understand how Jack could be so carefree. Not after witnessing the complete destruction of the Black Pearl against the unforeseen outcrop of rocks.   
  
He supposed that Jack believed the saying of when Life throws you oranges, make orange juice. Life ran out of oranges and threw Jack what could be loosely described as a compost heap. Jack made a garden.   
  
Jack had mentioned the day before that he was heading to Boston. Will already had a bad enough feeling then, but now he was absolutely certain that something would happen. He had to keep Jack from going.   
  
Jack walked up beside Will. Will didn't notice him; he was staring straight ahead as if contemplating the meaning of life and just where the fish was hiding.   
  
Jack snaked his arm around Will's waist and nuzzled against Will's neck. 'Hey, lover boy.'   
  
Will snapped his head to the side and relaxed. 'It's not nice to sneak up on people,' he half-scolded. 'I'm glad you could make it.'   
  
'Yea, I woke up early.' His reply was broken by a yawn.   
  
'Bad dream?'   
  
'Nothing I can't handle,' Jack replied with a shrug.   
  
Will nodded. 'How's your hand?' he asked. He was careful to make it sound as casual as possible.   
  
'Oh. Much better!' _How'd he find out? Did he see it? Don't think I told him._   
  
'How did you cut it again?' Will asked. The innocence in his voice left Jack feeling a little uneasy.   
  
'Uh... I was making a martini and the glass broke.'   
  
'Really,' Will said, skepticism painfully clear.   
  
'Yeah. Clumsy ol' me. Can't hold a glass.'   
  
_Lamest excuse ever. Not like mine was any better._ 'Jack, do you _have_ to go to Boston tomorrow?'   
  
Jack sighed internally. Somehow, he knew something like this was going to be brought up. 'Sammy can't drive herself. Besides, she's gonna pay me to pick her up.'   
  
'Can't she take a cab?' Will asked, grabbing at other options.   
  
'No. I already promised I'd pick her up.'   
  
'Can't you find _some_ excuse not to go?'   
  
'This isn't about you not trusting me alone with her is it?' Jack asked and eyed Will with suspicion.   
  
'No,' he firmly replied. 'I...have a bad feeling. That's all. I'd rather you didn't go.'   
  
'Well, I might be persuaded. If, of course, the price is right,' Jack said as he placed himself in front of Will and rested his hands on Will's hips.   
  
Will blushed a light tint of pink. 'W-what sort of price?'   
  
Jack shrugged nonchalantly. 'What have you got to barter with?'   
  
'Nothing you'd be very interested in,' Will admitted in defeat. _Scratch that, I know exactly what he's after._   
  
'Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'm interested in a great many things,' Jack said and captured Will's lips with his own.   
  
A coughing from behind Jack caught Will's attention and he pulled back, banging his head against the locker. 'Shit!'   
  
'As much as I'd like to watch you two go at it like cats in heat,' Anna said as she elbowed Will and Jack out of her way, 'I need to get into my locker.'   
  
'We do apologize,' Jack said insincerely. 'Now then. Where were we?' he said as he turned back to Will.   
  
'Heading to class,' Will replied and rushed off in embarrassment.   
  
'Of course.'   
  


_After school..._

  
  
Jack caught Will by the locker, literally. He snuck up behind Will and wrapped his arms around Will's waist. Will's only warning was the faint jingle of Jack's collar. 'Hey, Snuggle-Puss.'   
  
'Jack! Don't do that!'   
  
'What? This?' he asked and licked Will's exposed neck.   
  
'No, I mean...that too. Don't sneak up on me.' He half-heartedly pushed Jack off himself.   
  
'Yes, well, I didn't see much of you at lunch. I missed you,' Jack pouted.   
  
'You're the one that wandered off. That was the longest smoke break I've heard of someone having.'   
  
'You're just jealous because I have a smoking buddy, soon to be drinking buddy, and it's not you.'   
  
Jealousy flared and Will was helpless to stop the accusatory tones from escaping his lips. 'What? Who?!'   
  
'Mr. Gibbs. We hit it right off.'   
  
Will relaxed. _That makes sense._   
  
'You're not working tomorrow, right?' Jack asked, his mind already on a new line of thought.   
  
'No, why?'   
  
'You can help me show Sammy around.' He winked conspiratorially and added, 'Then we can ditch her and have our own fun.'   
  
'Oh, right! You're picking her up. Do you have to get her?'   
  
Jack rolled his eyes and turned from Will. 'We've been through this already. Yes.'   
  
'I'll pay for a cab for her,' Will said.   
  
'Sammy doesn't like taxis. Besides, you're bribing _me_, not her.'   
  
Will didn't reply. An idea hovered around his head, but it seemed too brash for the situation.   
  
'You should get ready for work. Better luck next time!' Jack said cheerfully as he patted Will's cheek.   
  
'I'll sleep with you!' Will clapped his hand over his mouth. _Shit! Shitshitshitshitshit!!_   
  
Jack turned back to Will with a big smirk plastered across his face. 'Is that so?'   
  
_At least I got his attention. Fuck._ 'If you promise not to go,' he said conditionally.   
  
'I promise. I'll call her tonight. When do you get off?'   
  
'Eight o'clock,' he replied miserably. _At least now I have a chance to get him to stay._   
  
'I'll see you then.' He pecked Will's cheek and left.   
  


_Later at Jack's..._

  
  
Jack dialed Sammy's number and waited.   
  
'How dare you!! You are not backing out!' she answered.   
  
'I'm not backing out!' he yelled back. 'Yet.'   
  
'What's that supposed to mean?' she asked in frustration.   
  
'It means,' he explained as if to a child, 'that I'm not picking you up if I get lucky tonight.'   
  
'I thought you two were fighting.'   
  
'That's the weird thing,' he said. 'Yesterday, he showed up at my work and apologized for "blowing things out of proportion." It was...different. Anyway, he said he'd sleep with me if I had you take a cab. Bad premonitions or something.'   
  
'But if he doesn't sleep with you...'   
  
'Then I'll pick you up,' he replied.   
  
'Call me if you get lucky! Be prepared to tell all.'   
  
'Right. Bye!'   
  
'Take pictures!' she said just as Jack hung up.   
  


_Same time, at the restaurant..._

  
  
Will had finished waiting on his first table. He was trying to keep his mind off of the promise he'd have to keep. It wasn't as if he hadn't had sex with Jack before--he could recall, with startling clarity, the many positions and kinks they'd tried out. But that wasn't in this lifetime. He was every bit the blushing virgin this time around.   
  
He could live up to his promise and make Jack be the one to back out. He'd just have to set up a few more candles around his bedroom. He could innocently claim it was for 'romantic atmosphere.' He remembered Jack hadn't liked it much the first time. There was a short-lived attempt on a second time. Jack absolutely refused to allow any candle, lit or unlit, to be out from then on.   
  
Will focused back on his work, his mind set on his plan for that night.   
  
He set to wait on the other occupied table in his domain and immediately recognized the man that sat there.   
  
'Mr. Swann! What brings you here?'   
  
'A date with this beautiful young lady here,' he replied and took his date's hand in his own and placed a light kiss on it.   
  
Will looked at Mr. Swann's date. She looked familiar. 'Ms. ...Sparrow?'   
  
'Miss,' she corrected. 'Do I know you?'   
  
'We met. Once. At...church. I'm Jack's...er...friend.'   
  
'Oh! You look so much better in the upright position.'   
  
Will gaped at the woman. He couldn't believe she'd just said that. Then he remembered Jack. _Must run in the family or something..._   
  
'I'm sorry,' Mr. Swann interrupted, 'I think I missed something here.'   
  
'Oh, this is my son's boyfriend,' Daisy explained.   
  
Mr. Swann raised a brow at Will. 'So Elizabeth wasn't joking?'   
  
Will hung his head. _She should just get herself a TV show and devote it to embarrassing me._   
  


_Later at Will's..._

  
  
Will pulled into the dirt drive just to the side of the house. Jack's convertible was sitting by the curb in front. He had a bad feeling about Jack being left alone with his parents.   
  
_At least you have parents this time around,_ he reminded himself and walked through the door.   
  
He heard Jack's voice coming from the living room. Something about Care Bears. He sighed and entered the living room with a forced smile. 'Jack. I see you made it.'   
  
'I wouldn't miss a sleepover with you! Can we invite the Care Cousins?' Jack asked teasingly.   
  
'The what?'   
  
'Your dad was just telling me about you collection of Care Bears,' Jack explained, then added, 'Bright Heart Raccoon was my favorite.'   
  
'That explains a lot,' Will scoffed.   
  
Jack looked at Will in confusion before he caught onto Will's implications. He crossed his arms indignantly over his chest and pouted.   
  
'Oh, get over it. Pouting about it won't get you anywhere anymore.'   
  
'I'm not pouting,' Jack said grudgingly.   
  
'Actually, you were,' Bill said.   
  
'I'm going to get cleaned up real quick,' Will said. 'And, no, I don't need help,' he said pointedly at Jack.   
  
There was more teasing of Will's childhood when Mrs. Turner returned to the room. She was more than thrilled to perform her motherly duty of embarrassing her son. Finally, Will deviated them with the suggestion of a movie and board game. Family Night was never so much... Will didn't want to use the term 'fun,' but 'interesting' was acceptable.   
  
They watched _Jaws_ and played LIFE. When Jack's peg got married, it married another blue peg. He also began hording blue peg children named 'Jack Jr.' Will made a comment and Jack switched the passenger for a pink peg and one of the children for a pink one, proclaiming them Will and Will Jr. Mrs. Turner and her pink corvette and pink family won by a landslide.   
  
Eventually, Jack and Will headed up to Will's room. The butterflies in Will's stomach became more frantic with each step he took. For once, he could care less if his room was immaculate.   
  
They reached Will's room. His hand shook as he quietly closed the door behind him. He was torn between going through with his promise or not. The little voice in his head kept reminding him that his parents were still home. Another reminded him about his and Jack's previous flings in other not-so-private locations.   
  
'Something on your mind?' Jack asked as he hugged Will from behind and placed light kisses on the back of his neck. 'Changed your mind?'   
  
'No, it's not that,' Will replied.   
  
'Mm, I love it when you talk like that.' Jack reached in front of Will and unbuttoned Will's shirt.   
  
Will leaned back into Jack. 'Like what?'   
  
'With that divine accent of yours,' Jack replied. He slipped the shirt off of Will's shoulders and kissed his way down Will's back.   
  
Will arched his back as Jack hit a sensitive spot. 'Didn't realize it,' he answered breathlessly.   
  
'You always were a little dense,' Jack replied.   
  
Will turned around and forced Jack to stand back up. 'That's not the best choice of words, _luv_.'   
  
'Forget I said it then.' He latched onto Will's lips and maneuvered Will and himself closer to the bed.   
  
Little by little, Will was reverting to his former self. 'I'll forget, if you forget your shirt.'   
  
Jack smirked and quickly pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it in a corner. 'Better?'   
  
'Much.'   
  
Jack gently pushed Will onto the bed. Will hugged his arms around Jack's neck and brought Jack down with him. They hit the bed and Jack attacked Will's chest with hungry kisses. Then he stopped.   
  
Will lifted his head and looked down at Jack. Jack had passed out. 'Oh, bugger.'   
  


_The next morning..._

  
  
Jack waited an agonizing twenty minutes in Will's hold. When Will finally shifted and loosened his grip, Jack seized the moment and gently rolled out of the bed. He reclaimed his shirt then leaned over Will. He bent down and gave Will a light kiss on his forehead. 'I'll be back before you know it.'   
  
Will's brows furrowed in frustration and he mumbled in his sleep.   
  
Jack smiled and slipped soundlessly out the room and into the hall. He slinked down the stairs and looked around. He stuck his head in the kitchen. A hand rested on his shoulder, making him jump. He whirled around and nearly tripped over his own feet. 'Don't do that!'   
  
Bill smirked and eyed Jack for a moment. 'And where do you think you're going?'   
  
'Boston. I have to pick a friend up from the airport,' Jack explained.   
  
'Does Will know about this?' Bill leaned against the doorframe.   
  
'Er. Sorta. He doesn't want me to go,' Jack admitted guiltily.   
  
Bill raised a brow. 'And you're still going?'   
  
'I won't be long, I swear! If and when Will wakes up...tell him I went to get donuts.'   
  
'I'm not going to lie for you.'   
  
'I'll pick 'em up while in Boston,' Jack said. 'So it won't be a lie.'   
  
'Why not just take him with you?'   
  
Jack gave Bill an incredulous look. 'The only reason I'm able to set foot out of that room is because he's unconscious. He doesn't want me going, but I've already promised Sammy that I'm picking her up. Don't worry. I'll be back before you can say "antidisestablishmentarianism."'   
  
'Antidisestablishmentarianism,' Bill quoted. 'Looks like you're stuck here.'   
  
Jack's face fell. Not only was Will determined to keep him there, but it seemed that Bill was going to as well. _It's all a conspiracy._   
  
'Oh, go on,' Bill said with a laugh. 'Be careful,' he called out as Jack darted through the door.   
  
Within minutes, Jack was out the door and starting his car. He cringed as the engine turned over. He eased the car away from the house and was well on his way out of Port Whisk.   
  


_Sixty-some-odd minutes later..._

  
  
Jack was being reminded of why he wanted cruise control. The only other car on the road was a red minivan some car lengths behind him. He'd passed the minivan earlier to find the driver on his cell phone.   
  
And the one he was pulling up on rather quickly.   
  
He let off the gas and checked the speedometer. He was only five miles over the speed limit and descending. Confused as to why he was closing in on the other car, he looked back up and realized why.   
  
The car infront of him was tilted across the two lanes, the front end resembling a broken accordion. It sounded like one, too.   
  
_Oh. A car crash._ 'Shit! Fuck!!' He slammed on the brake. It wasn't much help. The wheels squealed against the pavement. Jack turned the wheel sharply and the car veered to the right. The car's left side slammed into the newly installed roadblock.   
  
Aside from a few bruises and the general jitters of a near-death experience, Jack was feeling just fine.   
  
At least until the red minivan pummeled into the pileup.   
  


_AN II_: I based whatever highway road-thing that runs from my imaginary port to Boston after I-25 in Colorado. (People just can't drive here. Crashing left and right.) But noticed how Jack swerved to the _right_. That's what yer s'posed to do. See? I do know how to drive! (Not that it means anything. Kids, don't drive like me.)  
'Antidisestablishmentarianism' is my favorite word.


	19. Life Goes On

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Life Goes On' is a Charcoal Filter song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Don't run with scissors.  
  
_AN_: I have no sense of time and space, so I have to fix some time things in the earlier chapter(s)... (Jack was driving for about an hour or so before the crash.)  
I finally decided on the convertible. The skirt comment...as inspired by my brother when he was little. (He thought that when you grew up, you changed. A lot.)   
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Life Goes On_  
  


Will turned in his sleep. He rested his arm on the empty space beside him. His eyes shot open and he bolted upright. He looked around his room, but there was no sign of Jack. He leaned over the side of his bed and looked under it.   
  
_There's no room for him to hide in the closet...maybe he's just downstairs,_ he told himself. /Didn't want to wake me or some such.   
  
'Yeah, right,' he said aloud. 'Since when has Jack been polite enough to let me sleep longer than him?'   
  
He crawled out of bed and stumbled to the door. 'For his sake, he'd better be downstairs,' he mumbled to himself. It wasn't as if _he'd_ broke the deal he made with Jack. It wasn't his fault Jack passed out. _Out of this life, into the last._ He wondered what occasion Jack could have slipped into. He slunk down the stairs. He decided that he and Jack were going to have to sit down and have a long talk. _Still can't believe she didn't say anything beforehand._   
  
He reached the foot of the stairs. The morning news drifted thought the air from the living room. Jack didn't strike Wil as one to watch the news, so Will tried the kitchen first. His mother stood at the stove making breakfast.   
  
'Morning,' he said as he surveyed the kitchen. Jack was nowhere to be seen.   
  
'Oh, good morning, Sweetie,' she replied and gave Will a quick smile before turning back to the bacon. 'Sleep well?'   
  
'Yea. But uh...where's Jack?'   
  
'Hm? Your father said he went out to get donuts. Oh, yes, donuts and a friend.'   
  
'A friend? From where?!' He looked ou the window to find Jack's car missing from the street. _That little--! I'll kill him!_   
  
'Boston, I believe. He left around an hour ago.'   
  
_Great...he'll be back in one to two hours._ He sighed in resignation and left to wait for Jack in front of the TV. There wasn't much else that he could do.   
  
He slouched on the couch and watched the commercials dance by.   
  
After the cute scrubbing bubb;es had passed, the news came back on with a news flash.   
  
'Earlier this morning, there was an eight car pileup on north bound MA-3,' the voiceover announced as a helicopter view showed the wreckage. 'As of yet, there are no known survivors.'   
  
Will looked back up at the screen in time to see the camera pan pass the mangled remains of a black '65 Corvette convertible.   
  
Will stared disbelievingly at the screen. 'No...'   
  
The scene switched to the weather girl.   
  
'No. No. Go back!' He stood and clumsily went up to the TV. His knees gave way and he fell to the floor. 'God, no! Jack!! I don't give a fuck about sunny skies! Go back!'   
  
'William!' Mrs. Turner had been drawn into the living room by the commotion Will had caused.   
  
Will looked pleadingly up at his mother as tears stained his cheeks. 'He's dead! Jack's dead!'   
  
'Oh, honey.' She quickly went to Will's side and knelt beside him. She pulled him into a tight embrace and stroked his hair. 'What makes you say that?'   
  
'It was just on... They said there were no survivors. I saw his car! It was...it was completely destroyed! I told him not to go. I told him... And now he's dead!'   
  
The rest of Will's babbling was lost as he sobbed heavily into his mother's shoulder.   
  
'Shh... You don't know that for certain,' she said.   
  
'Yes, I do!' he argued. 'I saw it! I know it was his car!'   
  
She glanced at the television screen. There was a ten percent chance of rain on Wednesday. She looked back at Will and pulled him away from herself. 'How about we just watch the news for now. I'm sure they'll have an update on it,' she said and wiped the stray tears from Will's cheeks.   
  
Will sniffled and nodded. He let his mother lead him back to the couch. He stared blankly at the television. The magical scrubbing bubbles were back. He glared at their oblivious happiness.   
  
_Lizzie was wrong. Fate **is** that cruel._   
  
The minutes bore on and the news ended. After an hour had passed, Will got up and left the living room. He walked up the stairs in a daze, completely ignoring his mother.   
  
He locked himself in his room and burst into a new torrent of misery and tears.   
  
'Not again... This can't be happening. It's just a bad nightmare.' He looked at his bed, hoping to find Jack still asleep.   
  
It was still as empty as he left it.   
  
He curled into a fetal position on the bed. He could still smell Jack's scent on the pillow he'd been using.   
  


_Jack's apartment..._

  
  
The phone at the Sparrow residence rang without answer. After the seventh ring, the machine picked up.   
  
'Hey, Mom. Just callin' to let you know I'm gonna be late tonight. And short one car. I er...was in an accident. But no need to worry. They said I'm OK. A miracle that I only have a few scratched and whatnot. Oh, yeah, I'm at Iams Memorial Hospital in Boston. Gonna call Sam next. Like I said, nothin' to worry about. I'm out of the trauma ward. Just have to fill out paper work and get checked over a couple more times. A few x-rays. Maybe some stitches. Well, talk to ya' later! Bye!'   
  


_Iams Memorial Hospital..._

  
  
Just down the hall from the pediatric ward, Sammy barged into the room where Jack was currently being kept.   
  
'You bastard! You did this on purpose!'   
  
As she approached, she realized that Jack was pretty beaten up. 'You alright? You look OK. What happened to your head?' Sammy asked as she poked at Jack right brow.   
  
It had a few stitched and was covered with a small bandage.   
  
'Don't do that!' He smacked her hand away. 'My rearview mirror happened.'   
  
'Ouch. Where's the rest of your car?' She sat on the edge of the bed and dropped her bag on Jack's knees.   
  
'Dunno. Haven't asked yet. Honestly, I don't think I even _want_ to know.'   
  
Sammy nodded sullenly. 'When I'm rich and famous, I'll buy you a new one,' she declared.   
  
'I don't want a new one. I want my Pearl,' Jack huffed. 'She was perfect.'   
  
'Yes. I remember how the top didn't work,' Sammy said nostalgically. 'Same with the A/C. Oh, and the heater half the time. Didn't you have to replace half the spark plugs?'   
  
'No, that was the distributor cap. I had to clean up the spark plugs,' he corrected. He sighed and scooted back against the wall. He reached out and grabbed Sammy's bag. 'So whatcha got in here?'   
  
'Clothes. I'm punk now.'   
  
'Ever the poseur. I remember when you were grunge. Then there was that '80s thing...'   
  
'I'm not a poseur. I just like to wear what I like. And right now, I like punk.'   
  
'Brit punk by the looks of it. Erm...' He shifted through the bag and produced a pair of zipper-infested plaid pants. 'Can I borrow some clothes?' he asked.   
  
'Don't you have your own?'   
  
'Covered in blood,' he replied as he held the pants at arm's length and gave them a critical look. 'They're purple.'   
  
'Of course they are. I thought you liked purple.'   
  
'Not _on_ me,' he replied and rummaged for a shirt. 'So I can borrow 'em?'   
  
'I guess. You're on your own for shoes, though.'   
  
'That's no problem. Mine are still intact.'   
  
A little boy with sandy blond hair ran into the room. He stopped and stared at Jack and Sammy. They stared back.   
  
The little boy had on a hospital gown and an eye patch. His one eye blinked and took in Sammy from head to toe. He smiled.   
  
'You're pretty!' he said.   
  
'Thank you!' Sammy replied. 'Uh...what happened to you, little boy?'   
  
'I tripped!' he proudly proclaimed.   
  
'On what?' asked Jack. He'd tripped plenty of times, but never ended up with an eye patch.   
  
'The stairs,' he replied. He shuffled his feet on the floor. 'I was running,' he admitted guiltily.   
  
'What happened to your eye?' Sammy asked more specifically.   
  
'I was holding scissors!' He went on to describe what happened with sound effects. From the way he described it, one would think he was a war hero. The spurting noises were Sammy's favorite part.   
  
'Bobby?' A nurse poked her head in and found what she was looking for. 'There you are! You shouldn't run off like that. You could get lost.'   
  
'When I grow up, and I'm a girl, can I have a skirt like hers?' he asked, pointing at Sammy as the nurse led him out.   
  
The nurse nodded politely at the child, and Jack and Sammy just stared in shock.   
  
After they'd left, Jack found his voice. 'Shoulda seen that coming a mile away...,' he muttered.   
  
'How do you mean? What weird kid.'   
  
Jack shook his head. 'Nevermind. I'm just...gonna change.'   
  
'Say,' he said, trying to pull the pants up, there were more attachments than what he was used to, 'you wanna give me a tattoo?'   
  
Sammy squealed and dug through her bag. She produced a travel sewing kit. 'I'm ready! Got a lighter?'   
  
'I mean for the ride back to Whisk. I don't think they'll let ya' poke me in here. I've already been scolded for being a smoker.'   
  
'One out of every three smokers dies,' Sammy said automatically as she repacked her kit.   
  
'And two out of every three lives.' Jack grinned as Sammy rolled her eyes. 'I had a near-death experience, I'd appreciate a little optimism.'   
  
'So was a bright light at the end of the tunnel or anything?'   
  
'I wouldn't call it a light, but I did have a nice dream while pumped up on drugs about my pasty white Brit.'   
  
'Musta been some damn good drugs.'   
  
'Oh, yeah!' Jack had a silly grin on his face as he remembered the effects of the pain killers. He slipped on Sammy's _RENT_ baby doll tee and asked, 'How do I look?'   
  
'Like a white boy in drag,' she replied. 'Did you wanna stop at your place first or your boyfriend's?'   
  
'Will's is fine. I don't need to change. Just let me get everything wrapped up here, and we can go!'   
  


_In the taxi..._

  
  
The cab ride was fairly smooth, so Sammy's pricking and poking didn't hurt as much as it could have. She had just finished the sun and the waves when Jack spoke up.   
  
'Y'know...I have a strange sense of déjà vu about this,' he said. He flinched as the needle went deeper.   
  
'How's that?'   
  
'Well...like I can remember this happening, but...' He scratched his head and tried to sort out his words. 'I know it didn't happen, but it did happen or...something. And the scenery was different,' he added, thinking it was an important fact.   
  
'Different car?'   
  
'No. A bedroom. Lots of oriental decorating.'   
  
'Did we have mind blowing sex?' Sammy asked. The eagerness in her voice was as obvious as the potential puddle of drool.   
  
Jack thought for a minute. If he tried hard enough, he could recall the events prior to the tattooing. 'Now that you mention it...'   
  
'Even in the imagination of others, I'm good,' she said arrogantly. 'I'm so good. And flexible!'   
  
'Keep telling yourself that.'   
  
'Keep saying shit like that, and might slip,' she threatened as she started on the outline of the sparrow.   
  


_Back in Port Whisk..._

  
  
The taxi stopped in front of the Turner residence. Jack grabbed Sammy's bags as Sammy paid the driver.   
  
'Now what?' Sammy asked as the cab pulled away.   
  
'Now we prepare to beg for forgiveness,' Jack replied. He looked at his new tattoo and the blood that slowly trickled down and added, 'And a band-aid.'   
  
They stepped up to the doorstep and reached for the door bell. Two pairs of hands became entwined in their attempt to reach the button first. Jack lost the fight and Sammy rung the bell.   
  
Mrs. Turner opened the door and looked shocked to see Jack standing before her. 'Jack?!'   
  
'Last I checked,' he affirmed. 'Sorry I'm late getting back. Traffic was murderous.'   
  


_AN II_: I made up the hospital...OK, so I named it after cat food. That last line...just popped up. .;; _I_ like it. It's stupidly cute. To those with confusion about Sammy's origins: I've decided that during Jack's stay in Singapore, he got his tattoo done by the lovely Sammy (in their past life). Sorry it took me forever again... Also, dunno if I'll ever get around to mentioning it, Sammy's mom is from Singapore and her dad's from China...Hong Kong. 'Cuz everyone likes Hong Kong. (Especially the cinema.)


	20. Face to Face

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Face to Face' is a Siouxie and the Banshees song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Stitches! Non-explicitly naked Jack.  
  
_AN_: Well, it's written. Hm. OK. ::wanders off:: Oh, yeah. the pants Jack's borrowing from Sammy are based off my friend's pants. They is cool pants!  
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Face to Face_  
  


'Jack, you're...alive,' Mrs. Turner said, not fully grasping the meaning of the words.   
  
Jack squirmed under her shocked stare. 'Um...shouldn't I be?' _She couldn't possibly know... I wasn't gone **that** long. OK, seven hours, but still!_   
  
'But I thought...Will said... It was on the news!' she exclaimed.   
  
'You mean the wreck?'   
  
She weakly nodded.   
  
Jack grinned apologetically. 'I survived that just fine. Just cruisin' along one minute and next thing I know, I'm in an ambulance,' he explained. To him, it was no big deal. It had already happened and was now in the past. 'Was I really on the news?'   
  
'Not really, but your car was. Will was absolutely certain that you were dead.' She stepped aside and motioned for Jack and Sammy to come in. 'Will's in his room. I'm sure he'd be delighted to see you!'   
  
Jack stared up the stairwell and said, 'You sure he won't try and kill me? Finish the job, so to speak?'   
  
'Just go! The sooner you kiss and make up, the sooner you can feed me,' Sammy said as she shoved Jack up the stairs.   
  
Jack reluctantly trudged up the steps. _Damn... I wonder if Mom saw the news before she got my message. Well, she seemed calm enough._ He stopped in front of Will's door and took a deep breath. _Here goes._   
  
He opened the door and poked his head in the room. He found Will lying on the bed, clutching a pillow. Jack quietly edged into the room and shut the door behind him. He approached the bed and knelt beside it. Up close, it looked as if Will had cried himself to sleep.   
  
Jack lightly stroked Will's cheek. 'Will, time to wake up,' he said softly. He suppressed his urge to jump on the bed and shout 'Welcome to Heaven!'   
  
Will grumbled and shifted in his sleep. 'Too early,' he mumbled, his accent drifting through.   
  
Jack smiled and subconsciously let his hand roam over Will's shoulder and down to his hip. 'You really should wake up.'   
  
'Not now,' Will said. His voice was laced with sleep, but it was stern.   
  
Jack stopped and raised a brow. 'Not now? What not now?' he asked and began tracing circles on Will's hip.   
  
Will let out a frustrated growl and grabbed Jack's hand and held it to his chest. 'Shouldn't you be going?' he asked.   
  
'Going where?' Jack asked. He pulled himself onto the bed as Will turned in his sleep. He straddled Will's hips, telling himself it was a purely innocent act. Will held his hand captive, so he didn't have a choice. _Sure, Jack. Keep telling yourself that._   
  
'The sea. Away from me.'   
  
'Huh? Er...Will, you're not making sense.'   
  
Will smiled and opened his eyes. He was looking straight at Jack, but he wasn't seeing Jack. 'Just like you.'   
  
'Yea...sure. Just like me,' Jack said, as if agreeing with a child that insisted lava was made from salsa. He leaned forward and his bangs brushed against Will's forehead. 'If you don't wake up, then you won't be able to enjoy this,' he said then lightly kissed Will.   
  
Will let out a soft moan and brought his arms around Jack's neck. 'I love you.'   
  
'Love you, too,' Jack replied. 'But, I'd love you more if you'd wake up,' he said between light, teasing kisses.   
  
Will furrowed his brows in frustration as he stared at Jack. His mind was slowly unclouding from his dream-like state. 'Jack?'   
  
'Welcome back, sleepy head,' Jack replied and kissed Will again.   
  
'Oh, Jack! I--!' He stopped in mid-thought when he realized their current positions. 'Why are you on top of me?'   
  
'I guess that's a step up from "Why aren't you dead?"' Jack said jokingly.   
  
'That's not funny!' He pushed himself up on his elbows and frowned at Jack. 'I thought you were dead! You're...not, are you?'   
  
'If I were dead, would I be able to do this?' Jack pressed Will back into the bed and kissed him passionately.   
  
Will used the element of surprise and flipped Jack on his back. He didn't notice the pained grunt Jack made. Positions switched, Will poked an accusing finger at Jack's chest. 'I thought you were dead.'   
  
'But I'm not.'   
  
'You could have called!'   
  
'They wouldn't let me call,' he explained. 'They barely let me call Sammy. I had to convince them that my mother might be with her.'   
  
'Why don't I believe that? You probably flirted with some nurse,' Will huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.   
  
'I only flirted with the doctor that stitched me up,' Jack said, then wished he hadn't. _Way to work up your credibility._   
  
'Hah! So you admit it!' Will went back to poking Jack in the chest.   
  
'No! I--I was drugged up,' he explained as he slapped Will's hand away, then added, 'on pain killers!'   
  
Will rolled his eyes and straightened. 'Asprin hardly counts.'   
  
Jack winced slightly as Will's weight shifted on top of him. 'Can you get off me real quick?' he asked.   
  
'Why?' Will looked down at Jack skeptically. The last thing he felt Jack needed was the upper hand.   
  
'Well, as much as I like you sitting on me, I might split a seam and bleed all over your bed,' Jack replied and pointed at the stitches on his eyebrow. 'There's more where that came from.'   
  
'W-what? I'm sorry. I didn't know,' Will apologized and carefully got off of Jack. He sat at the foot of the bed and watched Jack pull himself up.   
  
'Don't think about it. Just uncomfortable is all.' He winced as he sat up. The painkillers he'd been given were wearing off quicker that he'd like.   
  
'What happened? The newscaster said there were no survivors. How...?'   
  
'I don't exactly remember,' Jack replied wearily. He was getting sick of those questions. 'I remember driving, and that's about it. They said I'd have been dead if it weren't for my seatbelt. I would also be down a couple stitches,' he added wistfully.   
  
Will brushed the hair from Jack's face and lightly touched the area around the Jack's bandaged brow. 'Did you break anything?'   
  
'My car.'   
  
'Jack, be serious!'   
  
Jack sighed and looked to his lap for answers. It was always an annoyance explaining the significance of the various scars he'd acquired over the years. Usually, he'd just ignore the questions or make some sensational story, but Will was not the usual circumstance.   
  
He pointed at the butterfly bandage and stitches on his brow. 'They dug out my rearview mirror from my head. Seatbelt dug across my side, here,' he said and lifted off his shirt to show a line of bandages on his right side. 'Not very deep, but it hurts like bitch. And this rib is cracked.' He pointed at his left side; his entire side was a sickly mosaic of yellows, greens, and blacks. He made a general sweeping motion with his hand over the bruised area and said, 'Bruised all along this side. Sprained this wrist.' He held up his left hand, wrapped in gauze. 'Glass or shrapnel or something was stuck in this leg,' he said as he pulled off his pants, showing off more than just the stitches forming an 'H' on his right thigh. 'They had to cut it out. Sammy says you can barely notice the limp,' he explained cheerily. He didn't seem to notice that he was now sitting naked in front of Will.   
  
Will blushed and averted his eyes to his dresser. 'What about your arm?'   
  
'I'm getting there!' Jack huffed. 'These long gashes are from the window,' he said as he traced the lines of stitches running the length of his left arm.   
  
'Can you _please_ pull your pants back up before someone walks in?' he asked. 'I mean your other arm.'   
  
Jack looked down and blushed lightly. 'Er, sorry.' He got off the bed and turned his back to Will as he reclothed himself.   
  
Giving into temptation we watched as Jack pulled up his pants. His eyes lingered on Jack ass until it was covered with purple plaid.   
  
Jack turned back to Will and tried to wipe the blood off his arm with his hand as he sat back on the bed. It didn't work very well, so he licked his hand and tried again, this time revealing the tattoo Sammy had given him.   
  
_That's...!_ Will's stomach lurched at the site of the tattoo he knew so well. 'W-when did you get that?' he managed to ask.   
  
'Oh, Sammy did that on the way back. Now, _that_ hurt,' Jack replied as he picked some more of the blood off. 'She wants to go over it again tonight or tomorrow, but I don't think I want to let her.'   
  
'Should it be bleeding lake that?'   
  
'If you break the skin, you're going to bleed,' Jack said matter-of-factly.   
  
'Looks just the same...,' Will thought aloud.   
  
'Same as what?'   
  
'Oh, nothing,' Will said, waving off Jack's question. _Yes, something! Dammit...I should tell him._ 'Er, I mean... Jack, we really need to have a talk about us,' he said as he took Jack's hand in his own.   
  
'Us? You're breaking up with me?!' Jack snatched his hand back.   
  
'That's not what I meant.'   
  
'Then what? The 'us talk' is only brought up for break ups. _I've_ given it! It always starts when someone screws up,' he pointed out. 'Look, I'm sorry you thought I was dead! If I'd known there was a crash, I wouldn't have gone!'   
  
Jack reached blindly for anything that would help him to keep Will. 'Will, I'm miserable without you. I yearn for you when we're apart, and I can't get enough when we're close,' he said, pouring out his heart. 'Please don't do this.'   
  
Will grabbed Jack by the collar and pulled him forward. He captured Jack's lips and kissed as if his life depended on it. He sucked on Jack's bottom lip as he pulled back. 'Don't jump to conclusions. And don't use crummy lines with me.'   
  
'They weren't lines. It's how I feel,' he said seriously.   
  
'You can be so romantic when you're desperate. Now, as I was saying--'   
  
'You feel we should date around?'   
  
'What?! No! Never!'   
  
'You want to have a threesome?'   
  
'What makes you think I'd share you with anyone else?' Will asked with a smirk.   
  
'I'm going off the other possible 'us' topics,' Jack replied matter-of-factly. 'Or are you so possessive of me that you want me to get your name tattooed on my ass?'   
  
'You really shouldn't put ideas in my head.'   
  
'We could get matching tattoos!' Jack suggested. He was really liking the idea of seeing his name scrawled across Will's body.   
  
'Don't make me bring out the candles,' Will warned in a British accent.   
  
'I'll be good,' Jack said automatically. _Where did that come from?_ he asked himself.   
  
'Good.' Will carefully eyed Jack, wondering if Jack knew anything about their past life. 'As I was saying, we need to discuss our relationship. Where we are, where we're going. Where we've been,' he added with a meaningful tone.   
  
'Starts off safe enough.'   
  
'Right...er...' He couldn't just come out and say it like Elizabeth had. He glanced at his desk. The book Elizabeth had loaned him was sitting on the edge. He got up and grabbed the book. He ran his thumb over the page corners before handing it to Jack. 'You should read this.'   
  
Jack took the book and flipped through the pages. 'Hey, there's nothing in here about yellow.'   
  
'Pardon?'   
  
'Yellow. The color. Dream dictionaries never have it or don't describe its importance,' Jack said with a hint of annoyance.   
  
'This one's on why we have dreams. It's pretty boring, but there's a bit in it that makes a lot of sense once you read it,' Will explained, feeling stupid as the words poured out his mouth.   
  
'And what might that be? And when I do find what I'm looking for, then what? What's it got to do with us?'   
  
'It has everything to do with us,' Will wearily replied. _I wanna tell him straight out..._   
  
'Tell you what, since you're coming to my slumber party, you can read it to me in that sexy British accent you do so well.'   
  
'Sure, if I manage to stay awake.'   
  
'I'll make you a butterscotch hot cocoa.'   
  
'That sounds good.'   
  
_Heh. Probably never heard of schnapps..._ 'Sammy's waiting downstairs. Let's collect her scrawny ass and play tourists then head back to my place,' Jack said as he stood. 'You're driving.'   
  
'Don't you want to go to your place first?' Will asked and followed Jack to the door. 'Talk to your mother, let her know you're OK. Change clothes?'   
  
'I already spoke to her on Sammy's phone,' Jack replied. 'I told her my plans, and she said it was alright. She has a date tonight, so we have the place all to ourselves,' he added and slipped is arm around Will's waist.   
  
'But what about your clothes?' Will froze in his doorway. _He can't possibly be willing to go out in public in women's clothes! What am thinking, this is Jack._   
  
'My clothes are fine,' Jack said defensively, 'Sammy lent them to me. You should see what happened to what I was wearing this morning. Cut to pieces and covered in blood. You'd be surprised how much you can bleed from being scratched.'   
  
'Jack, those aren't scratches!' Will said pointedly.   
  
Jack rolled his eyes and tugged on Will to get them moving again. 'Ever been skateboarding?' he asked.   
  
'No...'   
  
'You should try it. I suck at it--compared to Ashley. I got scraped up on a regular basis and broke my leg once,' he said. He had a nostalgic smile as he remembered the flowers Ashley had sent him in the hospital. _Best not to mention that._   
  
'Then why the Hell would I want to try it?!'   
  
'It's fun? And Tony Hawk isn't all that bad looking.'   
  
'Then go date him!'   
  
'Aw! A lovers' spat,' Sammy said from where she was leaning in the entry.   
  
Will was at a loss for words upon seeing Sammy. She wore a miniskirt shorter than what he thought possible. She didn't look like the neon clad girl he'd seen in the photos. She looked like a punk slut. _Not that she is. She's probably a very nice person._ He could almost hear her saying 'I don't know why guys think I'm easy.'   
  
'Sammy, Will. Will, Sammy,' Jack said, waving his hands from one to the other and back again.   
  
'Ooh, he _is_ hot!' Sammy squealed. 'If things don't work between you two,' she said to Will, 'I'm always available.'   
  
'Thanks, but I'm planning on staying with Jack for a while,' he said nervously.   
  
'Would it help change your mind if I said I had more experience than him?' she asked, erasing Will's thoughts of her defending her virtue. 'Just ask Jack. I have a very talented t--'   
  
Jack clamped his hand over her mouth and hissed, 'Don't you _dare_ ruin this for me!' He looked back up at Will and grinned uneasily. 'Only from what everyone else says.'   
  
'Mmph?!'   
  
_Surprises, surprises. Probably a blowjob or something._ He sighed and indicated for Jack and Sammy to follow. 'Let's just go.'   
  


_AN II_: TaDa! Jack's still alive. Bruised, but alive. And as confirmed by my old man, cracked ribs hurt, but yer free to do as you please, generally-like. Next chapter: Will's learns about schnapps. And the difference between shooters and shots (according to Jack). And maybe a bath scene. You've seen naked NeoJack, now see naked NeoWill! Drunk! And why isn't there ever a _good_ explanation for yellow in dream books?!


	21. Cabin Fever

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Cabin Fever' is a song from Muppet Treasure Island.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Wee! Naked boys!  
  
_AN_: Er, uh... Sorry it's taken me forever and a day to post this. .;;;  
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Cabin Fever_  
  


'Wait up!' Jack said as Will reached the door. 'Don't you wanna grab some clothes? Or have I rubbed off on you enough to make you wear the same clothes two days in a row?'   
  
Will rolled his eye trudged back up the stairs. Jack and Sammy followed. After half an hour of Sammy marveling at how clean the room was and Jack destroying it in his search of the perfect outfit, Will shoved them out and cleaned up.   
  
'That was quick,' Jack said when Will emerged from the room.   
  
Will glared at Jack. 'You're never allowed I my room ever again.'   
  
They headed down the stairs where Mrs. Turner met them. 'Will? Where are you going?'   
  
'Jack's invited me to a slumber party, so I'll be back tomorrow,' he replied.   
  
'Are you sure you'll be alright?'   
  
'I'll be fine,' he said and gave her a reassuring smile. 'See you tomorrow.'   
  
'Bye! And drive safe,' she called after them as they exited the house.   
  
The teens crammed into Will's car. Once on the road, Sammy popped up between Jack and Will.   
  
'Hey, Will,' she said. 'Can I get you to do me favor?'   
  
Will glanced at her uncertainly. 'What sort of favor?'   
  
'Say "banana."'   
  
'What?'   
  
'Say "banana,"' Jack said. 'Come on. I wanna hear you say it, too.'   
  
'Banana?'   
  
Sammy and Jack sniggered, much to Will's annoyance.   
  
'What?!'   
  
'Oh, nothing,' Sammy replied. 'You just have a really cute accent is all.'   
  
'I don't have an accent,' Will grumbled and put his attention back to driving. 'Where are we going anyway?'   
  
'Why don't we just go to my place?' Jack suggested. 'I found all my movies. And yes, you do have an accent. Just like how Sam and I have the normal American accent, and you have your weird one.'   
  
Will slowed for a stop sign then slammed on the brakes, sending Jack and Sammy forward in surprise. 'My accent is not weird.'   
  
Jack stared at Will, unsure if he wanted to throttle him or not. 'Hello! You have a crash victim in here!'   
  
'You're alive, aren't you?' Will spat. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat.   
  
'Yea, but it hurts!'   
  
'We weren't making fun of your accent,' Sammy said. 'We just think it's cute. Whenever I stay at my parents' I start talking like them.'   
  
'It's true,' Jack affirmed.   
  
Will sighed and resumed driving. 'It's the principle of the thing,' he said.   
  
'I didn't get all bitchy when you teased me about being shorter than you,' huffed Jack.   
  
Will didn't reply. He knew Jack had a point, but he didn't want to give Jack the chance to inflate his ego.   
  
The rest of the short drive was spent with Sammy and Jack arguing over what movie to watch first. Muppet Treasure Island won.   
  
They reached the apartment complex and filed into Jack's apartment.   
  
'I want my clothes back,' Sammy said as she dumped her baggage by the couch.   
  
Jack waved her off and disappeared into his room. When he emerged, he was only wearing a pair of Garfield boxers. He tossed the clothing at Sammy. 'Better?'   
  
Sammy leered at Jack. 'Yes. Much better.'   
  
'Sorry, luv. I'm taken,' Jack replied. He sidled over to Will and latched onto him. 'Let's fix you up a drink. Butterscotch cocoa, right?'   
  
'Er...yeah.' Will smiled nervously. Why couldn't it just be him and Jack at the apartment?   
  
Jack pulled down a mug and a packet of hot chocolate. 'This'll take a minute. Why don't you have a seat and start the movie? It's in the cabinet under the TV,' he said and pecked Will on the cheek.   
  
'I want a Pink Pussy!' Sammy said from the living room.   
  
'You'll get what I make you!'   
  
Will sat on the floor in front of the TV and looked through the cabinet until he found the movie. He popped it in the VCR and sat on the couch to wait for Jack.   
  
'So,' said Sammy, 'how does your relationship with Jack currently stand?'   
  
'Why?'   
  
'Just curious.'   
  
'He's not interest in you,' Jack said and handed Will a mug of steaming cocoa and other ingredients. He sat between Sammy and Will and sipped on his own drink.   
  
'Where's mine?' asked Sammy.   
  
'Make your own.'   
  
'Such a gentleman.' She got up and head to the kitchen.   
  
Will sipped his drink. It was hot chocolate with butterscotch flavoring, just as Jack had said. But there was something else. He sipped it some more to figure out what else was there. It was something familiar, but not within this lifetime. Another sip. There was the burning of the hot liquid, but, unlike the other times he'd had coffee or hot chocolate, there was a sort of burning sensation that lingered at the back of his throat. He rolled his eyes. 'Jack, you spiked my drink. And don't deny it.'   
  
'Did I?' Jack looked completely surprised. He took Will's drink and sipped it experimentally. 'What d'ya' know... This one's mine.' He handed Will his own drink. 'This one's yours. I thought it was missing something,' he said.   
  
Will to the offered mug. He looked at the contents with skepticism then took an experimental sip. He gagged on the liquid. 'God, that's worse! What is this?!' He handed the drink back to Jack and took his own back.   
  
'Irish coffee?'   
  
'Keep it to yourself.'   
  
Sammy returned with a flute of bubbling liquid and winked at Jack. 'I found something I like.'   
  
Jack eyed the light pink contents of Sammy's drink. He smiled and took it away from her. 'Here. Try this,' he said as he handed the glass to Will.   
  
'What's in it?'   
  
'Sparkling cider and an ounce of strawberry liquor,' he replied. 'It's a really girly sort of drink.'   
  
Will tried a sip and licked his lips. 'That's good!' He made to hand it back.   
  
'Keep it,' Sammy said. 'I'll go make me another.' She stood again and headed back to the kitchen.   
  
They watched the movie, Sammy and Jack singing along. Three flutes of 'cider' later, Will was giggling along and feeling a little light headed. The next movie they watched was The Care Bears. By then, Will was working on his fifth. Or was it his sixth? He'd lost count.   
  
Jack disappeared into the kitchen and brought out some multicolored shooters. He handed one to Will.   
  
'That's pretty,' Will commented.   
  
'Just down it,' Jack said and demonstrated with his own.   
  
Will shrugged and attempted on his own. He got halfway and gagged on the rest, spilling it down his chest. 'Clumsy me,' he sighed.   
  
'Yes...very clumsy.' Jack crawled onto Will's lap and kissed him. He lifted Will's shirt up and licked where the liquid had seeped through to his skin. He continued tugging the shirt up and finally got it off of Will entirely.   
  
On the other side of the couch, watching with interest, sat Sammy. She reached into her bag and pulled out a tube of red lipstick and poked Jack's shoulder with it.   
  
Jack looked over his shoulder at her in annoyance. He grinned maniacally when he caught sight of the tube. 'Thank you,' he said and turned back to Will. He uncapped the lipstick and claimed Will's lips again. He pulled back and twisted the stick of red up. 'Let's play a little game,' he said at Will's confused look. He applied the lipstick to his lips then on Will's. 'We're going to map out pleasure points.'   
  
'Why?'   
  
'Because it'll be fun. And you'll be able to get your hands all over me. Doesn't that sound like fun?' He leaned down and licked the spot below Will's ear, earning a soft moan. Jack kissed the spot and said, 'Like that. Very easy.'   
  
Will wrapped his arms around Jack's neck and pulled him closer. 'Is it my turn?'   
  
'For as long as you want,' Jack replied.   
  
'Do I have to find the spots? Or are you going to tell me?'   
  
'The hunt is all part of the fun.'   
  
Will grinned and went straight for a spot just above Jack's collar bone. He sucked on the area and lightly nipped it and Jack let out a needy groan. From somewhere beside him, there was a flash of light. Will looked over to see Sammy grin and wave as she left the room. Will watched for a little longer, not sure what had happened.   
  
'Wait any longer and you'll lose your turn.'   
  
Will turn back to Jack and kissed the area he'd been attending, leaving behind red lips over the already reddened mark.   
  
'My turn.'   
  
Will captured Jack's lips and explored Jack's mouth with his tongue. He pulled away when Jack started to kiss back. 'I'm not done yet,' he said with a British accent and maneuvered Jack off his lap and laid him on the couch. 'I know you were trying to get me drunk,' he whispered into Jack's ear and nibbled on Jack's earlobe. When Jack let out a reluctant mewl, Will kissed the spot and left it alone.   
  
'I wasn't getting you drunk,' Jack protested. 'I only offered you a dr--Ah!'   
  
Will had closed his mouth over a nipple and was teasing it to a point. 'You eagerly offered me a drink that you knew would get me drunk quickly.' He lightly circled a finger over Jack's other nipple.   
  
'You're the one that wanted refills. Mmnnn...'   
  
Will found the lipstick and marked an 'X' over the perky nipple. 'I rather like champagne.'   
  
'That's cheating!' whined Jack.   
  
'No, _this_ is cheating,' Will replied and marked all the spots on his own body that he knew turned him on. He smirked at Jack's disappointment.   
  
Jack's eyes scanned over Will's exposed skin and grinned up at him. 'Well, at least now I know where everything is,' he said cheekily.   
  
'Always look at the brighter side of life, huh?'   
  
'And why not? Having a positive outlook lets you see the positive. Or something along those lines.'   
  
'In that case,' Will leaned down and kissed Jack, 'how about getting cleaned up?' He drew a heart on Jack's chest.   
  
'You scrub my back, I scrub yours?' Jack asked hopefully.   
  
Will nodded.   
  
'You must be drunk.'   
  
'Must be,' Will agreed. 'Better take advantage of it while it lasts.' He stood up and offered Jack a hand up.   
  
Jack accepted and pulled himself up. He led Will by the hand to his bathroom and locked the door behind them.   
  
Will sat on the edge of the tub and raised a curious brow at Jack. 'So are we taking a shower or bath?' he asked as he pulled off his shoes.   
  
Jack leaned against the door of the small bathroom. 'Shower. Definitely shower.'   
  
Will rolled off his socks and grinned up at Jack. 'And what would the reasoning be behind that?'   
  
'I wonder...' Jack knelt in front of Will and crossed his arms over Will's knees. 'Just what could the reasoning be behind my choice?' He reached out and unbuttoned Will's pants.   
  
Will leaned down and kissed Jack. His fingers found their way to Jack's boxers and slowly began to pull them down.   
  
Jack stood and let Will pull the thin cloth over his hips. The boxers fell to ground and pooled at his feet.   
  
Will placed his hands on Jack's hips and leaned in to kiss the small tattoo. He kissed and sucked at the area, pulling mewling of pleasure from Jack. He finished his ministrations with a light nip.   
  
Jack threaded his fingers through Will's hair and moaned, 'Do that again.'   
  
Will licked Jack's hardening member, causing Jack to gasp. 'What if I don't want to?' he asked.   
  
Jack went back to his knees and tugged at Will's pants. 'I don't care what _you_ want. _I_ want ye naked.'   
  
Will smirked at the accent that filtered through Jack's voice. 'I bet you do,' he replied. He shifted his weight to his hands and raised his hips to allow Jack to effortlessly relieve Will of his remaining clothing.   
  
Jack stepped around Will and into the tub. 'Going to join me, or ye gonna just sit there?' Jack asked teasingly and closed the curtain.   
  
Will grinned and joined Jack behind the plastic curtain. He pressed Jack against the tiled wall and kissed him. He balanced himself with one hand on the wall and the other on Jack's side.   
  
After a little accidental pressure, Jack winced away and twisted on the faucet, showering Will with a freezing stream of water.   
  
Will jumped to the other end of the tub and slipped. 'Bloody fuck! Turn that off!!'   
  
'Er, sorry 'bout that.' Jack turned the water off and sat in front of Will. 'If it's any consolation, ye really did hurt me.'   
  
'And that's supposed to make me feel better?'   
  
'No, it's s'posed to make ye feel guilty.' He gave Will a mischievous grin.   
  
Will stared at Jack curiously. He concentrated and switched back to his American accent. 'I guess this whole bathing together thing wasn't the brightest idea.'   
  
'Nonsense, luv. It was an accident,' Jack said and settled himself between Will's legs. 'Won't happen again on either end, I'm sure!'   
  
Will crossed his arms and glared at Jack. 'How long have you known?' he asked.   
  
'Known what?'   
  
'What's with the accent?'   
  
'Accent?' Jack gave Will a confused smile. 'Don't know what yer talkin' about.'   
  
'Oh, I think you do,' Will said accusingly. '_Captain_.'   
  
'Don't ye be takin' that tone with me, whelp!'   
  


_AN II_: If it seems like I'm taking forever again, then (like with this one) I might have just gotten lazy and decided to skip the coding and posting on ff.n, so you might try my Livejournal (psocid).


	22. Only You

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Only You' is a Captain Jack song (as in Dance Dance Revolution...).  
_Warnings for this chapter_: More Naked boys! And a naughty word! Go me!!  
  
_AN_: It's a fluke if the chapter titles have anything to really do with the chapters themselves anymore... Reason for disliking this chapter: It's hard for me to write smut. Thinking's no problem. It's the choosing of words. -.-;;  
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Only You_  
  


'Hah! See? You _do_ know something!' Will jabbed accusingly at Jack's chest.   
  
Jack stared at Will in confusion and rubbed the point where Will poked him. He glanced about their curtained off world as if seeing it for the first time. 'Er, wait. Uh... What are we talking about?' he asked.   
  
'We're talking about the self-proclaimed great pirate captain, Jack Sparrow,' Will replied.   
  
Jack smiled nervously. 'I don't know what you're talking about?'   
  
'How long have you had the dreams?'   
  
'What dreams?'   
  
'You know damn well _what_ dreams!' he insisted and took Jack's arm, pointing at the tattoo still partly encrusted with blood.   
  
'Oh! _Those_ dreams. Since my drowning incident, but I already told you that,' Jack said in partial honesty.   
  
'Not those ones. The ones involving us.'   
  
'Oh...' Realization hit Jack like a ton of bricks. 'Oh. Since we met--wait! How do _you_ know about my dreams?! Are you some sort of freaky psychic that invades people's dreams? Or do I talk in my sleep?'   
  
_No turning back now. Right. The direct approach._ Will noticed he was becoming more like his former self in the forward department. 'We were lovers in a past life. You died in a storm, I died from illness, and now we're here,' he explained and awaited the inevitable scoff from Jack.   
  
'Naked,' Jack added, surprising Will.   
  
'You don't seem too shocked.'   
  
'Well, nudity is a part of life,' he said matter-of-factly then changed his attitude at the annoyed look Will gave him. 'I mean, it sure does explain a lot. At least now I know I'm not crazy.' He thought for a moment. It made sense, but everything was a jumble. There were a lot of hazy memories floating around that didn't want to piece together properly. 'So I was a pirate, right?'   
  
'With eyeliner.'   
  
'And you...you were a eunuch!' he stated, proud of his ability to decipher the hazy memories.   
  
'What?! No! Will you ever let that go?!' Will snapped. 'What is it with you and your fascination with eunuchs? Do they turn you on? Or is your cock that small that you need to remind yourself of eunuchs and their misfortune just to make yourself feel better?'   
  
'I think we both know the answer to that,' Jack said huskily and closed the distance between them with a light kiss. '_Lover_.'   
  
Will rolled his eyes. 'No.'   
  
'But, Will!' Jack whined. 'It's been...er, two hundred years! And then some. Think of it as a "welcome back" fuck.'   
  
'You had your chance last night at that. You passed out,' Will pointed out. He smirked at the devastated pout he received.   
  
'That was a warm up? Aww, come on. Sammy always packs condoms if that's what you're worried about. Cherry flavored. Glow in the dark? Her pleasure?' he asked, lightly running his hand down Will's chest.   
  
'I really love you, Jack...'   
  
'But...?' Jack's finger circled around Will's navel before continuing down.   
  
'But, I'm not going to sleep with you just yet. You went against my wishes and broke your promise, so this is punishment.' Though he was firm in his decision, his body had another agenda and reacted to Jack's touches.   
  
'You can be on top?' Jack offered.   
  
'No.' Will leaned back against the tiled wall and closed his eyes.   
  
'I have handcuffs. You always were into bondage. I'll let you be on top _and_ tie me up!'   
  
Will licked his lips at the image of Jack pleading for more. 'No.' It was a hard decision.   
  
'Alright. You win,' Jack said. His hands left Will's skin and he straightened. 'Sammy's here, so I guess she'll be of some use yet. She's been trying to get into my pants for ages.'   
  
'What about your promise?' Will asked, annoyed at Jack's sudden desertion. He gave Jack a hard stare.   
  
'What do you mean? I came back. Took longer than expected, but I did come back to you.'   
  
'I meant the one about no more whores.'   
  
'Oh. That one.' Jack deflated at the memory that bounced happily to the front of his mind. _What the Hell was I thinking?_   
  
'Yeah. _That one._'   
  
'Sammy's not a whore, she's a slut. Big difference, monetarily speaking.'   
  
'And that justifies everything,' Will commented sarcastically.   
  
'No...' Jack looked down in defeat and noticed a big, red blotch on his chest. 'Say, we're still dirty! We can still take our shower.'   
  
'No shower,' Will quickly said. He had a feeling his butt was going to bruise from his earlier fall. 'We can do a bath, though.'   
  
'A bath? Great! I have Hello Kitty bubble bath! Strawberry flavored,' Jack said as he reached outside the tub and retrieved a plastic Hello Kitty bottle.   
  
Jack turned around and turned on the water. Both boys were attacked by Jack's failure to remember to switch the water from shower to tap. 'I'm sorry!! I always forget to turn the shower off!' he apologized and switched it. He began pouring the bubble bath liquid into the steady stream of water.   
  
The water rose and so did the amount of bubbles.   
  
'Jack, you don't need to empty the entire thing.'   
  
Jack reluctantly set the bottle outside the tub and sulked in the building bubbles. When the water rose to what he felt was the fill line, he turned off the faucet.   
  
'See? Stop pouting, there's plenty of bubbles. So many it's unnatural,' he added and blew some off his hand.   
  
'That'd be the dish soap,' Jack explained and turned back to face Will.   
  
'Dish soap?'   
  
'Three different brands of bubble bath, and two brands of dish soap,' he elaborated.   
  
'Why did you put dish soap in it?' Will asked. He examined the bubbles critically, wondering if they would have a negative affect on his skin.   
  
'More bubbles.' Jack smiled cheerfully when Will looked back at him.   
  
Will opened his mouth to question Jack's motives, but thought better of it. Jack was blissfully happy, and it would be shame to ruin it. _I should know better than to ask, anyway._   
  
Jack stood and stepped around Will and settled down at the back of the tub. When Will made to scoot away, Jack wrapped his legs around Will's waist. 'Do you remember that one time?' he asked and nuzzled into the back of Will's neck.   
  
'What one time?' Will asked and leaned into Jack.   
  
'That one time you came back from the smithy all dirty and I helped you get cleaned up.'   
  
'As I recall, you weren't very much help.'   
  
'I meant well,' Jack insisted, his hands were already roaming Will's chest picking up their original course.   
  
'You meant to bugger me well.'   
  
'And I did.' Jack grinned and wrapped his hand around Will's cock.   
  
'And you _won't_ this time around,' Will said as he pinched the back of Jack's hand.   
  
'Can't blame me for trying,' Jack replied as he stroked Will's chest with his other hand. 'I've missed you. Missed yer scent, yer body... I never want to be without ye again.' 

_Meanwhile..._

  
  
Sammy had finished flipping through Jack's mother's collection of Cosmopolitan magazines, and was searching for something better than the Muppets to watch when a moan drifted through the empty apartment. She ceased all movement and strained to hear. The moan came back accompanied by another. She recognized one as Jack's.   
  
She dropped the case she was handling and hissed, 'Not fair!'   
  
Torn between listening and respecting the boys' privacy, she eventually pulled herself away and into the direction of the master bedroom. Just as she reached the door, a particularly needy cry rang out. She unwillingly threw herself into the room and turned on the radio. 

_Five minutes later..._

  
  
Jack emerged from the bathroom with nothing but a towel and a satisfied glow. He could hear music coming from his mother's bedroom and smirked. 'I'll be right there,' he said to Will and nudged him towards his room.   
  
Jack knocked on the door before opening it and narrowly avoided the pillow that flew at his head. 'What was that for?!'   
  
'I could hear you two _over_ the music!' Sammy raised another pillow threateningly.   
  
'You never seemed bothered by that sort of thing before,' Jack said and put up his hands in defense.   
  
'Maybe not,' she admitted, 'but this time it's _you_! Do you have any idea how hard it was not to listen?'   
  
'Very?' Jack took a cautious step into the room.   
  
'So what did you guys do?' Sammy asked, setting the pillow down.   
  
'Like I'd tell you,' scoffed Jack.   
  
'Spill it, or I tell him every last detail about every relationship you've ever had,' she threatened. 'Every kiss. Every grope. Every blowjob and what have you--received _and_ given.' She crawled to the end of the bed and took up a sitting position much like a cat ready to pounce.   
  
'Ouch.' As much as Jack liked to kiss and tell, Will was different. And he was certain Will would be more likely to kill him for telling than for hearing about previous exploits. 'I'd like to say I fucked his brains out.'   
  
'Then what? Hand job? Blow job? Fondling? Fingering?'   
  
'Pretty much, yeah. Basic fooling around.' Kiss and tell on a more vague basis was probably okay.   
  
'It must have been wonderful for him,' Sammy said wistfully.   
  
'How's that?' Jack crossed his arms and leaned against the door.   
  
'His first real orgasm, given to him by the one he loves,' she explained in a sappy voice.   
  
'And yours came from a leopard print vibrator named "Cheetara,"' said Jack, imitating Sammy.   
  
She ignored Jack and continued. 'You two are the ideal couple for a gay romance novel.'   
  
_Past lives and magical curses. God, it is like a gay-ass romance novel! Pirates and all._ 'Just so long as it has a happy ending.'   
  
'But tragedy is the spice of life. And sex is paprika. I wish I'd waited before I lost my virginity. It'll be so much fun for the both of you.'   
  
Jack nodded in agreement. He was looking forward to bedding Will, but it would not truly be their first time. Remembering one's past life had its drawbacks. 'Yeah. Well, I should go save Will from my room.'   
  
'You do that. I found a few articles on how to achieve great orgasms with or without a partner,' Sammy said and pointed at the pile of magazines behind her.   
  
'It's gotta suck when you have to read a manual on how to get off.' A pillow hit him squarely in the face. 'Hey!'   
  
Sammy got up and advanced on Jack. Just has he turned to run, she grabbed his towel. 'Yeah, baby!' _God, I wish I could get a piece of that ass,_ she thought ruefully. _No wonder Hector regrets fucking up._   
  
Jack entered his room short one towel. For a minute, he and Will stood frozen like deer in headlights. Jack stared in disbelief at his now clutter-free floor. _I wasn't gone that long..._   
  
Will dropped the pile of shirts he had gathered on the floor. 'I'm sorry, I have a problem!' he said pathetically and stared at his feet.   
  
'I have...a floor,' Jack said in amazement as he shut the door.   
  
'You're not mad?'   
  
Jack went up to Will and pulled him into a hug. 'Mad? Why would I be mad at free maid service?'   
  
'Because I don't put things where people expect to find them,' Will explained. 'Just ask Lizzie. She'll never let me help clean her room ever again.'   
  
'Well, let's see,' Jack draped his arm over Will's shoulders and turned him as he pointed out the essentials, 'I have a bed, clothes, clock, ashstr--no ashtray. _Now_ I'm annoyed.'   
  
'You shouldn't smoke.'   
  
'Please don't tell me you threw away my cigarettes.' Jack scanned the top of his dresser for a pack of cigarettes almost frantically.   
  
'Just the empty packs,' Will said and picked up an unopened pack that was hiding beneath a sock on top of the dresser.   
  
Jack breathed a sigh of relief. 'Good, 'cuz I need one.' He made to take the pack from Will, but Will held it just out of reach.   
  
'You should quit,' Will stated, refusing to hand over the pack.   
  
'I'll consider it later,' Jack said dismissively and made another failed reach.   
  
Will placed the cigarettes behind his back and straightened. 'You would have given up piracy for me, why can't you give up smoking?'   
  
Jack bit his lip and looked away. 'It's hard to explain.'   
  
'Try me.'   
  
'I wasn't going to really give it up,' he admitted. 'Annamaria was going to take the Pearl and I would go with her every so often to keep up appearances. But I would be spending most of my time with you. I mean, what's a little side trip here and there to pick up some extra cash?'   
  
'So you lied about loving me more than your addiction to piracy.' Will placed the pack of cigarettes into Jack's hands and glared.   
  
'What?! I never said that! Er, I mean...I love you. I didn't lie about that!'   
  
'Maybe not, but that's the message your actions send.'   
  
'Ugh!' Jack threw his hands in the air and the pack flew to the other end of the room. 'You sound like a woman!'   
  
'Seeing as how you view me as the submissive in the relationship...'   
  
'You can't say that,' Jack argued. 'I've let you be on top.'   
  
'And was that with or without a fight?' Will smirked as Jack's face dropped.   
  
'Now that's just mean.'   
  
'The truth hurts,' Will said in pained voice.   
  
'Yeah? Well I hate the truth.'   
  
Will raised a brow and looked Jack up and down. 'The naked truth?'   
  
Jack looked down at himself then back at the door. 'She nicked my skirt.'   
  
'I was wondering about the catcall, but decided not to ask.'   
  
Jack threw himself on the bed and sprawled out. 'There's nothin' like sleeping naked with your naked boyfriend by your side,' he said as he reached out and plucked the towel from Will's hips.   
  
'You're hopeless.'   
  
'Hopelessly in love.' Jack reached out and took Will's hand, pulling him onto the bed.   
  
'And full of lines,' Will said as he straddled Jack's hips, careful not to rub against any of Jack's seams. 'Why is it that no matter how much you piss me off, I still find it in my heart to forgive you?'   
  
Jack propped himself on his elbows. 'Because you love me and you're full of as many lines as I am.'   
  
Will bent down and met Jack with a long and loving kiss.   
  


_AN II_: Fear da sap! My OCD friend confirmed that Will's actions of cleaning house were highly probably. (Between just staring in shock or taking action. And, from experience, no matter how messy a room is, you _can_ clean it pretty damn quick.)


	23. Hairball

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Hairball' is what spitting this thing out felt like.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Mindless scribbling. Not much. Set up for later chapters.  
  
_AN_: Yep. Taken me a while yet again. Muses fell into a coma or something.  
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Hairball_  
  


Will awoke, engulfed in the scent of burning incense. He sat up in the bed and looked around the room for Jack. Somehow, Jack had managed to demolish the room to its former glory. Will sighed and shook his head. Further investigation of the room proved that Jack was nowhere to be found. Only a cigarette carefully balanced on the window track remained of Jack's presence.   
  
Will watched as the smoke from the cigarette and incense mingled. He wondered where Jack was and what he could possibly be up to--none of the solutions seemed very promising.   
  
He yawned and stretched. Before he could get out of bed, Jack entered the room.   
  
'Good morning, my lovely,' Jack said cheerfully as he bounced onto the foot of the bed and stripped Will of his blanket. 'You're so cute when you're naked,' he cooed.   
  
'Well, aren't you just a bundle of sunshine?' Will said dryly.   
  
'And judging from the dream you had last night,' Jack said as he crawled towards Will, 'I'd think you'd be a little less grumpy.'   
  
Will blushed lightly. 'What do you mean?'   
  
'What did you dream about?' Jack asked sweetly, though there was no denying the lecherous tone in his voice.   
  
'Remember how you were trying to get me to screw you?' Will replied uncomfortably.   
  
Jack nodded eagerly.   
  
'Well, that's what it was about. Sorta. Now, why do you ask?'   
  
'You talk in your sleep.'   
  
'What?!'   
  
'Well, it was mostly moaning, but you get the idea,' Jack said as he drew little circles on Will's inner thigh with his finger. 'My offer still stands.'   
  
'I'll be your Christmas present,' Will said and removed Jack's wandering hand.   
  
'Christmas?! That's months away!' whined Jack. He put on his best pout, but Will had built up an immunity to it.   
  
'Then you'll just have to wait,' Will said matter-of-factly and grinned at Jack's frustration.   
  
'And no amount of bondage,' Will shook his head, 'or uh...candles will help?' Jack asked, hoping that tapping into his past lover's kink would make a difference.   
  
Will bit his lip in concentration. 'Well...'   
  
'Yes? Yes?? Say yes!'   
  
'Maybe,' Will concluded.   
  
'Great! I'll call Sam a cab!' Jack eagerly rubbed his hands together and started to scoot off the bed.   
  
'I said maybe!'   
  
'Maybe means yes,' Jack pointed out.   
  
'Keep pushing and it'll mean no,' Will warned and crossed his arms defiantly over his chest.   
  
'But I'm nineteen and a virgin! It's unnatural!'   
  
Before Will could reply, Sammy came into the room with a donut in her mouth and box of them under her arm. 'Ngh mmph mnfmm?' she asked.   
  
'Took you long enough,' Jack grumbled and got up to treat himself to a donut.   
  
Will grabbed the blanket and covered himself, blushing deeply under Sammy's leer.   
  
She swallowed her mouthful and chuckled at Will's antics. 'Oh, come on. You don't have anything I haven't seen before.'   
  
'Yes, we're all guys here,' Jack said and sat next to Will, offering him a bite of his donut.   
  
'Jack!' Will sighed at the oblivious smile Jack gave him. _Yeah, right. He's had two lives to train that look._ He took a bite out of the powdered Bavarian cream donut, feeling like he got more on his face than in his mouth.   
  
Jack trailed kisses along Will's cheek to his mouth, licking up the stray powder and cream. 'I love messy donuts,' he commented.   
  
Sammy sat on the foot of the bed and held the box of donuts in front of Will. 'I hope you don't mind, but I borrowed your car.'   
  
Will paused in the middle of grabbing a donut. 'You...what?'   
  
'Borrowed your car,' she repeated.   
  
'Er, I loaned her your keys,' Jack admitted when Will's accusing stare settled on him. 'I trust her more with your car than with you,' he tried to explain.   
  
'Thanks,' Sammy said in an icy tone.   
  
'Say "goodbye" to Christmas,' Will said and plucked Jack's hands off his person.   
  
'What?!'   
  
'It's my car! You had no right.'   
  
'But that's no reason to ruin Christmas for me!'   
  
'What's happening on Christmas?' asked Sammy.   
  
'None of your concern,' Jack replied.   
  
'Oh, I was going to let Jack fuck me,' Will explained, 'but I've changed my mind.'   
  
Sammy looked between the two boys and turned to Jack. 'I volunteer myself as your replacement present.'   
  
Jack bit his tongue before the words could tumble out. 'Sorry, Sammy, but I must decline your offer,' he said with some difficulty.   
  
Will smiled proudly at Jack and patted his shoulder. 'Good answer.'   
  
Sammy stared open mouthed at Jack, not believing what she'd just heard.   
  


_Elsewhere..._

  
  
Elizabeth sat next to Anna in the balcony at church. She sighed heavily and glanced at the stairs leading up to the balcony.   
  
'We're halfway through service,' Anna said. 'He's not coming. Probably still pining over Jack.'   
  
'I don't think so. He's over at Jack's.'   
  
'Jack's alive?' Anna asked, slightly shocked.   
  
'Of course he is! Him and two others survived the wreck. One's in a coma and the other's got a broken leg.'   
  
'How do you know this?'   
  
'Jack's mom told me,' Elizabeth replied. She looked back at her magazine and wondered how Will was doing.   
  


_A little later at Jack's..._

  
  
Daisy led the way into the apartment. Wallace and Elizabeth, who insisted on coming with them, followed closely behind. They stopped short just as Sammy barged out of Jack's room, leaving a trail of Chinese curses in her wake.   
  
'Oh! Other Mother!' she exclaimed when she saw Daisy. She glanced back at the door and grinned evilly. 'Poor Jack! He says it's just a scratch, but you know that "scratch" translates to broken! I just wanna help,' she said innocently, hoping to invoke Daisy's maternal instinct.   
  
'Broken?' Daisy threw open Jack's door to find her son trying to declothe Will with his teeth. 'Looks fine to me.'   
  
Jack spun around and glared at his mother. 'Mom!! Do you mind?!'   
  
'Samantha said you broke something,' she said and went up to Jack. She held his arms out and inspected the exposed skin.   
  
'I have a cracked rib,' he offered.   
  
'What else?'   
  
'Besides the obvious? Nothing.'   
  
She gave Jack a doubtful look.   
  
'I've had worse, and you know it.'   
  
Daisy cupped Jack's cheek in her hand. 'You have no idea how hard it was for me not to run up to the hospital. You're a young man and old enough to take care of yourself.'   
  
'But I'll always be your little baby,' Jack said sappily.   
  
'Yes, and that's why I worry. You're all I have left,' she said and gently hugged him.   
  
Will shifted uncomfortably next to Jack. He must have caught Jack's attention, and before he knew it, he was dragged into a group hug.   
  


_And then..._

  
  
Sammy and Elizabeth had hit it right off and were chatting incessantly. Sammy convinced Elizabeth to drive them up to the airport so that they could get to know each other better. On the way up, Sammy and Jack sat in the backseat of the Jeep, putting the finishing touches on his tattoo.   
  
Sammy twisted Jack's arm in her hands, examining her work. 'Not my best, but it has a distinct charm to it.'   
  
'I like it. Hey, guys. What do you think?' He thrust his arm to the front between Will and Elizabeth.   
  
Elizabeth did a double take, noting that it was exactly the same as what Jack had in their past life. 'That's...very nice. Er, Will?'   
  
'At least this time you're not bleeding as much,' he commented.   
  
'That's because Lizzie's car has better shocks,' Sammy said and tucked away her homemade tattoo kit.   
  
Elizabeth smacked Will's shoulder. 'Will!'   
  
Jack pulled out his lighter and lit it next to Elizabeth. 'I'm still pissed at you,' he said, then added in his gruffer, pirate accent, 'Just so's ye know.'   
  
'Erm...' Elizabeth stared ahead, not exactly certain how to approach the situation.   
  
'But I still love you,' Jack said and leaned back in his seat. 'Not as much a Willy, though.' Jack leaned forward again and poked Will on the arm. 'Trade places with Sam.'   
  
'The car's moving,' Will pointed out.   
  
'Fine, I'll just sit in your lap.' Jack unbuckled and started to move up to the front of the Jeep.   
  
'What? No! I'll switch.' Will unbuckled himself and turned around to see Jack grinning back at him. He rolled his eyes and carefully moved to the back.   
  
Sammy hopped effortlessly into the passenger seat and turned around just in time to catch Jack claim Will's lips. She turned back around and looked at Elizabeth. 'How can you bare it?' she asked.   
  
'I have a boyfriend, and besides, those two are meant to be together,' she replied and looked at her rearview mirror. 'But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous.'   
  
'I feel much better now,' Jack said and pulled out a cigarette and lit up.   
  
'Jack!'   
  
'There's no top, so it's not like you'll be breathing any of it.'   
  
'You could at least ask first,' Will said huffily.   
  
Jack rolled his eyes and poked Elizabeth's shoulder. 'Liz, luv, can I smoke? I'm really stressed out.'   
  
'Just don't singe the upholstery,' she replied.   
  
Jack stuck his tongue at Will.   
  
'You know... If you weren't smoking right now, I'd have considered kissing you,' Will said, meaning every word of it.   
  
'And if I quit all together?' Jack asked, intrigued.   
  
'Early Christmas present?' Will smiled at the clear consideration that Jack was giving his offer.   
  
Jack took a long drag and thought about his options. He looked down at the cigarette he was holding. 'Can I finish this one off?'   
  
'Fine.'   
  
'There's something you can tell everyone when you get back home, Sam,' Jack said to her as he flicked the cigarette butt out the car.   
  
'That you were bribed to quit smoking with sex?'   
  
'And grades,' Will added.   
  
Jack stared at Will openmouthed. 'What?! But!'   
  
'I think it's fair,' Will said with a shrug.   
  
Jack bit his lip, wondering if Will meant report cards. 'How about I ace my midterms and quit smoking?'   
  
'And you have to get B's and better on all your other work.'   
  
Sammy sniggered to herself.   
  
'What's so funny?' Elizabeth asked.   
  
'When midterms come up, Jack's gonna come to collect,' she replied.   
  
'Damn straight I will. And remember, you promised,' he said to Will and draped his arm over Will's shoulders.   
  
'Considering your habits and current grades, it's not much of a promise,' Will said and leaned against Jack.   
  
'FYI, luv, I used to be a straight A student.'   
  
'So what happened?'   
  
'Got a job. Decided that getting a car was more important than school,' Jack replied. He wondered if he'd ever get his Pearl back.   
  
'Heh. You just signed away your virginity,' Sammy chortled, breaking Jack from his thoughts.   
  
He nodded in agreement and nuzzled against Will. 'So let's skip the wait and get right to it.'   
  
'Can I have him when you're finished?' Sammy asked jokingly.   
  
'No!'   
  


_AN II_: The next chapters'll be easier to write--the muses have some ideas.... Excluding holiday specials, there's about five chapters left.  
And before I forget!!! Answers! Yes, Jack's a virgin (as far as sex goes--oral sex is another story).  
When Are they going to 'do it'? Hi. Mi. Tsu.  
Will Jack's and Will's parent(s) meet? Holidays were made for social events.  
Why Carbears? Because. **I**. _Like_. 'Em. I also like My Little Pony.  
Please? blink No. Well, maybe. Whatcha gonna gimme?  
And Lozateazer: Thanks for the definition!!   
See? I do respond. Sorta...


	24. My Console

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'My Console' is an Eiffel 65 song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_: Unbetaed (except for three bits). A little more set up for later chapters. Another mindless filler chapter.  
  
_AN_: Again with the slacking. At least James is in this bit.  
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
My Console_  
  


It was the weekend again. Will sat on his bed working on an essay as he waited for Jack to call him.   
  
Ever since Monday, Jack had either been at school or work. Mr. Cotton insisted that Jack take some time off to heal from his injuries, but Jack nearly bit his head off in refusal of the kind offer.   
  
Will was quickly learning that getting Jack to quit smoking and get good grades might not have been the best idea--especially since Jack had just lost his car. Jack was snippy, irritable, and none too pleasant to be around most of the time. Monday was not so bad, but as the week progressed, Jack got worse.   
  
He glanced at the clock, wondering if Jack was working late again.   
  


_At the Milky MooMoo..._

  
  
Jack sighed distractedly as he stared out the window of the Milky MooMoo. He really wanted a cigarette. He'd been able to satisfy his craving when Mr. Gibbs took his smoke break during the week, but now he had nothing to fall back on for the weekend.   
  
He was beginning to regret agreeing to Will's demands. He hated going to school. He hated doing all the tedious homework. He hated about half his classmates for some of the dumbest reasons (one kid breathed funny, and another lacked the ability to dress for their season). He knew he shouldn't blame Will for his stress, and his behavior as of late was not easy on anyone he was around.   
  
'It's that damn van's fault,' Jack grumbled before downing a sugar packet. He shuddered at the memory of finally seeing the remains of his car. He had put a lot of blood and sweat into getting it fixed up. Now it was nothing more than a crumpled mess with dried blood on the interior.   
  
Will had tried to console him, but Jack just snapped at him in returned. He mentally berated himself for being so short Will. He could have sworn that Will was about to lower the stakes for Christmas, now that he thought about it, but he had to go and be a total ass.   
  
_And I'm one to preach about being stupid._   
  
Will's car pulled up and Jack dragged himself from his seat and trudged out to the car. He forced a smile when he got in and leaned over to kiss his boyfriend.   
  
'You doing okay?' Will asked.   
  
'Good enough,' Jack replied with a shrug.   
  
'So... How's your essay coming?' Will asked, hoping to strike up a conversation.   
  
'Along.'   
  
'You never did say what yours was on.'   
  
'Sharks.'   
  
'Isn't that a little broad?'   
  
'Great Whites.'   
  
'Oh. That's nice.' Somehow, he had a feeling Jack was going to take out some of his anger on the essay and write about nothing more than blood, guts, and gore.   
  
The rest of the ride was spent in awkward silence, though both were more comfortable with it than their failed attempt at conversation. When they reached Jack's apartment Will asked, 'Did you wanna do something tomorrow?'   
  
'Like what?'   
  
'Well, Sam's gonna be down from Boston, and Lizzie wants to know if we wanted to hang out with them,' he replied.   
  
Jack looked at Will for a moment in confusion. 'Sam...?'   
  
'James. Samuel's his middle name--rather be called "Sam" than "Junior,"' Will explained.   
  
Jack's face brightened at the prospect of tormenting his favorite naval officer. 'I'd love to go!'   
  
Will smiled back and gave Jack a quick kiss.   
  
'What was that for?' Jack asked, bewildered.   
  
'No reason. I'll come round about ten to get you.'   
  
'Right. So does James know?' Jack asked, signaling what he meant with his hands. 'And does he know that I know?'   
  
Will ran the questions through his head and hoped he answered them in the correct order. 'Yes and no.'   
  
'Keep it that way,' Jack said with a wink.   
  
'You and Lizzie.'   
  
Jack just grinned and left for his apartment.   
  


_The next day..._

  
  
Will arrived at Jack's apartment right on time with a bag of clothes under his arm. As he knocked, he wondered why e agreed to loan Jack his 'preppiest clothes.' Whatever the reason, be it to shock or annoy James, he knew Elizabeth would get a kick out of it.   
  
Jack answered the door clad only in a towel. 'You can just walk in, you know,' he said and stepped aside to let Will in. He spotted the bag Will carried with him and grabbed it. 'I was afraid you forgot!'   
  
Jack had called Will almost five minutes after Will had gotten home after dropping Jack off, requesting preppy style clothing.   
  
'You never did say _why_ you wanted to borrow them,' Will said as he watched Jack pull the clothes on.   
  
'Trust me,' Jack replied. 'You'll know why soon enough.'   
  
'This doesn't have anything to do with Sam, does it?'   
  
Jack zipped his pants and grinned at Will. 'How do I look?' he asked and did a turn.   
  
Will took in the sight before him and was disturbed by what he saw. 'Weird,' he finally replied. 'It's just...not you.'   
  
Jack cocked his head to the side in curiosity. 'Really?' When Will nodded, he headed to the bathroom to check himself out in the mirror.   
  
Will followed Jack and made it just in time to see the slightly disgusted look on his face. 'Is there a problem with my clothes?' he asked and wrapped his arms around Jack as they looked at their reflection.   
  
'Yeah, I'm in them. I look like a prep!'   
  
'Isn't that the desired effect?' Will asked with a raised brow.   
  
'Well, yeah, but...I never expected to actually _look_ like one!'   
  
'Don't worry, we'll get you an eye patch and make it all better,' Will said soothingly and rested his head on Jack's shoulder.   
  
'Right, then we'll get some scissors and,' Jack said, making a cutting motion with his fingers, '"snip-snip!" Bring you up an octave.'   
  
Will rolled his eyes and released his hold of Jack. 'Could you try to drop that for at least _one_ lifetime?'   
  
'Next one. I promise,' he said and brushed his hair back, grimacing at how unfamiliar his reflection was.   
  
'I doubt that.'   
  
'Wait up. I wanna grab a change of clothes.'   
  


_At Elizabeth's..._

  
  
James and Elizabeth waited outside her house for Jack and Will.   
  
'Punctual as ever,' James commented after ten minutes had passed.   
  
As if on cue, the teal-colored Geo Metro pulled up. Jack wrestled with his seatbelt, seeming to be yelling about one thing or another at Will. When he was finally free, he bolted from the car and tripped over the seatbelt in a sudden flash of déjà vu. Will raced around to the other side and helped Jack up, only to be batted away after. Jack dusted himself off and put on the brightest smile as they approached the other couple.   
  
James eyed Jack's appearance. If Jack were blond, he'd be a dead ringer for Zack Morris. He raised a brow and looked to Elizabeth. 'That's...Jack?'   
  
Elizabeth nodded happily and waved. 'What took you?!'   
  
'Oh, you know how Will can't drive,' Jack lisped. He pulled Elizabeth into a hug and heard her stifle a giggle. He grinned as he stepped back and turned to face James.   
  
James bit his lip, not sure if he was trying to stop a laugh or shocked cry. Sure, he knew Jack was gay, but a flamingly gay preppy was far from what he would have expected.   
  
'So! You must be Sam,' Jack said, leaking what could possibly be contagious homosexuality into the atmosphere.   
  
James weakly nodded, and before he knew it he was pulled into a tight embrace.   
  
'It's so good to finally meet you!' Jack pulled back and kept his hands on James's shoulders. 'Now, have you been treating our Lizzie right?'   
  
'Erm...'   
  
'Something wrong? You don't look so well.'   
  
'I'm fine. Really. Could you uh...' James nodded at Jack's hands on his shoulders, hoping he'd get the message to let go.   
  
'I know what you need! Kitty kisses!' Jack leaned towards James again and ran his tongue along the length of James's cheek.   
  
Will grabbed the back of Jack's shirt and dragged him away from James. 'Down, boy.'   
  
'Sparrow! That has got to be one of the most disgusting displays--!' James wiped at his cheek with his sleeve, but no matter how much he tried, it still felt wet.   
  
'Who's the girlie-boy now?' Jack asked as he ruffled his hair back into a more comfortable mess. 'Even Will doesn't mind being licked.'   
  
Will blushed lightly under James's disapproving stare. 'Well, er, shouldn't we be off?' he said and started leading the way to the cars.   
  
'Yeah, let's go to the arcade!' Jack exclaimed and immediately glued himself to Will's arm.   
  
'We don't...have an arcade,' Elizabeth said, giving Jack her best 'I'm sorry' look.   
  
Jack stared at Elizabeth in exaggerated shock. 'No arcade?!'   
  
'Of course we have an arcade!' Elizabeth said with a laugh.   
  
Jack changed into his normal attire on the ride over to the arcade, putting on the final touches of eye makeup as the car pulled to a stop. James seemed relieved that Jack was out of the preppy outfit.   
  
The arcade was older with only a couple of the newer fighting games. After about two rounds of Capcom vs. Marvel, Jack got annoyed at Will's knowledge of devastating special moves and socked him in the arm as he left to find a better game.   
  
'You didn't have to hit me,' Will said, rubbing his arm as he followed Jack towards a racing game.   
  
'You didn't have to kill me in two shots.'   
  
'Sorry, I thought you'd be good at video games,' Will said apologetically.   
  
'I could easily kick your ass at console games. The buttons on arcade systems are too big,' Jack complained.   
  
'Hey, guys! We're gonna skedaddle,' Elizabeth said, indicating herself and James.   
  
'Fine with us,' Jack replied. 'We're gonna head over to the docks and throw Will in the drink.'   
  
'Only if you promise to throw yourself in as well,' James commented.   
  
'Look, Jamie, just because I never called,' Jack said in a suggestive tone, 'doesn't mean you have to be a crabby pants about it.'   
  
Will grabbed Jack and started dragging him along. 'We're going to go now,' he said and gave James a tired look.   
  
After a quick 'goodbye,' the two couples parted and headed their separate ways.   
  
Jack and Will now sat on the edge of a wooden dock in silence.   
  
Jack stared down at the rippling ocean water, mesmerized by the way it ran up and down the dock's poles. He could feel a tingling sensation as his vision stared to fade out. _What the fuck?! I should be past this!_ he desperately thought and tightened his grip on the pole next to him, praying that he would at least not fall into the water. Someone called his name and Jack looked up at Will.   
  
'You alright?' Will asked and placed his hand on Jack's shoulder.   
  
'No problems here,' Jack lied. He looked back out to the ocean then said, 'If I fell in, would you come in after me?'   
  
Will followed Jack's gaze. 'Why do you ask?'   
  
'You know those little fainting spells?'   
  
'I haven't had any dreams or flashes lately, so you shouldn't have any either. Right?' Will stared at Jack in worry. '...Right, Jack?'   
  
'Just now...it felt like it was going to happen again,' Jack quietly admitted. 'Something's not right.'   
  
'Like what?'   
  
'I had a pretty traumatic death. Might have something to do with that,' he replied nonchalantly.   
  
'Lizzie died in an earthquake. I think that'd be traumatic, too,' Will pointed out.   
  
Jack sighed and picked at some dirt under his nails. 'Do remember everything as if it happened this lifetime?'   
  
'For the most part.'   
  
'I don't. It's mostly one big blur with key points.'   
  
Will nodded and looked back to the water. 'Liz mentioned how she remembers a few more things now that we remember. Maybe it's all one big web or something?'   
  
'But I remember Sammy.' Jack let a lecherous grin slip and said, 'Crystal clear memories of her.'   
  
'Was she ever more than a whore to you?' Will asked, biting back a jealous retort.   
  
'Tattoo artist?' Jack offered. 'This time, she's my best friend. So...I guess there's a piece of the puzzle missing.'   
  
Will closed his eyes wearily, not wanting to acknowledge Jack's ex of two lifetimes. 'Barbossa.'   
  
Jack bit his lip. 'You're not mad about that, are you?'   
  
'Yes and no,' Will admitted. 'I know it's in the past, but...'   
  
'You can't help but feel jealous. You always were the jealous type. I remember that quite clearly.'   
  
'Probably for survival needs.'   
  


_Later that night..._

  
  
The flashing light on the answering machine caught Jack's eye. He pressed 'play' and headed to the kitchen to get something to drink.   
  
'Hey, Jacky!'   
  
From in the kitchen, a glass shattered on the floor.   
  


_AN II_: As restrainedchaos pointed out, I wasn't very clear on whether or not James knows that Jack now knows about their past life. James does know. He figured it out after Jack started calling him 'Jamie.' (Hope that clears things up.) The muses seem to be stirring a little, so I'm hoping the next chapter won't take so long.


	25. Telefone Long Distance Love Affair

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)' is a Sheena Easton song.  
_Warnings for this chapter_:  
  
_AN_: Fear da Ashley!  
  


  
  
_Dead End Angels  
  
Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)_  
  


Jack ran back to the living room and replayed the message.   
  
'Hey, Jacky! Kevin here. Guess you're not in now, so uh... Talked to Sam. Said you had a new boyfriend. I'm amazed you managed to find yourself one in such a small town. She tells me you're quite intimate with him. I suppose it's good to hear that you've finally opened up to someone. Though, I'm not too pleased that he has you wrapped around his little finger. Well, I guess I'll see you later. Bye.'   
  
Jack chewed on his lower lip. He wondered why Sammy had given Kevin his number. He hoped that was all she gave him. _And what did he mean by 'I'll see you later?'_   
  
Jack picked up the phone and began dialing. He changed his mind and placed the phone back on the cradle. After some thought, he picked up the phone again and dialed Sammy's number.   
  
'You are just so predictable,' Ashley's voice answered.   
  
Jack's heart skipped a beat. 'Fuck me...'   
  
'As much as I'd love to, you never gave me the chance.'   
  
'Er, why do you have Sam's phone?' Jack asked and slumped onto the couch.   
  
'I do live with her. It's called sharing.'   
  
'Well, then would you happen to know how Kevin got my number?'   
  
'You weren't home, so I had him call you. Took a little persuasion.'   
  
'Why the hell did you go to the trouble of getting me to call you?' Jack asked in suspicion.   
  
'Sam said you were in an accident, lost your car, and could probably do with hearing a familiar voice,' Ashley replied.   
  
'I was actually doing just fine before you called,' Jack lied. _But it is nice to hear his voice again...,_ he thought guiltily.   
  
'Not from what Sam's been telling me.'   
  
'What would she know?!'   
  
'You didn't know? Her and your boyfriend, Will isn't it? Anyway, they've been talking.'   
  
'Talking?'   
  
'Yeah, she says that Will's trying to deal with you being all pissy to him, but it's really wearing on his nerves. To tell you the truth, I'm surprised he hasn't dumped your whiney ass.'   
  
'You're...lying. Sam hasn't called since her visit. She's been out of the country!' Jack argued, despite the fact that long distance calls wouldn't stop her. 'Why would she call Will?'   
  
'Because he's more honest than you?' Ashley offered. 'If you don't believe me, ask him yourself.'   
  
Jack was silent. Why wouldn't Will tell him that Sam had called? Maybe she swore him to secrecy. There was still the chance that Ashley was lying. Slim, but it was there.   
  
Emotional and irate, Jack turned some of his attention back to Ashley. 'I'll call you back.'   
  
'Gotcha.'   
  
Jack was so wrapped up that he failed to catch the hint of glee in Ashley's voice.   
  
He hung up on Ashley and dialed Will's number.   
  
'Hello?' Will's mother answered.   
  
'Is Will there?'   
  
'One moment.'   
  
Jack waited, tapping his nails on the arm of the couch.   
  
'Hello?'   
  
'Have you been talking to Sammy?' Jack asked accusingly.   
  
'W-what?'   
  
'You have, haven't you?! Why didn't you tell me?'   
  
'Wait a minute! She said she told you.'   
  
'You can't rely on that flake to tell me anything! So, it is true.'   
  
'Well, yes... But I don't see what it matters.'   
  
'You wouldn't, would you?' Jack said and hung up on Will.   
  
Will winced at the loud click. He didn't know what Jack was getting so worked up about. He honestly thought Jack knew about Sammy calling him. After all, she said so herself that Jack knew about her calls and was perfectly fine with it. But it did strike him as odd that Jack never bothered to ask what she called about.   
  
Something was up and Will was determined to find out what. He tried calling Jack back, but the line was busy. He tried Sammy as well, but the busy signal stayed on.   
  


_Sunday morning..._

  
  
Will sat quietly next to Elizabeth and Anna at church. He still couldn't understand why Jack had been pissed at him for talking to Sammy.   
  
'Don't worry about it,' Elizabeth said. 'He's just going through a tough time right now. Any stupid little thing is going to upset him. Remember when my guinea pig died? I was the same way.'   
  
'That reminds me,' Anna said, 'I really wanna try guinea pig.'   
  
'That's sick!' Elizabeth said, appalled.   
  
'Guinea pigs are rats and they serve rats in China,' Anna pointed out. She felt no love for rodents of any sort.   
  
'I don't care!'   
  
'They serve 'em like lobster. You get to pick which one you want,' Jack said from beside Will.   
  
'Jack!' Will turned to look at Jack. He certainly wasn't expecting to see him that morning--especially in such a good mood.   
  
'Hello, darling,' Jack said as he sat next to Will and kissed him.   
  
'You seem agreeable...'   
  
'Funny story to tell you. Would you believe that Ashley told Sammy that he told me about the two of you conversing and she believed him? So I forgive you.'   
  
'Er, okay...'   
  
'I'm thinking of growing a goatee,' Jack said offhand.   
  
'Ooh, that'd look sexy!' Anna commented.   
  
'You seem kind of edgy. Is something wrong?' Will asked.   
  
'Other than the fact that I need a cigarette and am really horny? No. Whaddya say to a quickie in the back pew?'   
  
'In case you haven't noticed, this is a church. You do not have "quickies" in the back pew, or anywhere, in a church.'   
  
'Why not?' Jack put on his best pout.   
  
'Because! It-it's just wrong!'   
  
'What if I'm not just of a different denomination, but of an entirely different religion to yours?'   
  
'The answer would still be "no."'   
  
'I suppose I can wait until we get home.' Jack put his arms around Will and snuggled up to him.   
  
'Um, Jack?'   
  
'Yes?' Jack blinked innocently at Will. Too innocently for Will's tastes.   
  
'Are you sure you're alright?'   
  
'Me? I'm fine. It's probably just you.'   
  
For the rest of the sermon, Jack was unusually quiet and still. Will would have liked to think that Jack had matured overnight, but the chances of that were nonexistent. Jack was hiding something. What that something was, Will had yet to find out. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to know.   
  
After church, Jack rode home with Will and his parents, having been invited for Sunday dinner. They sat in the living room watching TV, Jack still clinging to Will and being overly sweet.   
  
All the love and cuddling was unnerving Will. It wasn't that he didn't like it, but it was disturbing. He excused himself from the room and headed upstairs, grabbing the cordless phone on his way. In the seclusion of his room, he called up Sammy.   
  
'Hi!' Sammy's overly cheerful voice answered.   
  
'Hey, I have a question for you,' Will said.   
  
'Sure, what?'   
  
'What's up with Jack? I mean, he's acting a little strange.'   
  
'Strange? How so?   
  
'Well, he's acting paranoid and very...eh...nice.'   
  
'Oh, might be a pre-apology for Hector coming out to visit.'   
  
'Hector? Oh, Ashley. Yeah...I suppose that would explain it, but why would _he_ be visiting? I thought they hated each other...or something,' Will said, still unsure as to what Jack's relationship with Ashley was.   
  
'Well, they don't hate-hate each other. It's an off and on thing, really. They have their good moments and bad moments. Take last night for example. They had a good moment. Wish we had a speaker phone, it was such a good moment.'   
  
'Why?'   
  
Sammy gave a little giggle. 'From the side I heard, they were totally getting into it and...er...I'm certain Jack had some great quips to go along with all the gossip,' she finished quickly. 'Um, I'm sorry, but I have to go now and water my chia pet. Bye!'   
  
The other line went dead and Will turned off the phone. Things were certainly getting interesting. He went back downstairs and gently prodded Jack in the shoulder. 'How good are you at math?' he asked.   
  
'Good enough, why?'   
  
'Well, I'm having some trouble with a problem and thought you might be able to help,' Will replied with a sly wink.   
  
Jack grinned eagerly and jumped up. 'I'd be more than happy to help!'   
  
Will's father looked up from the newspaper and gave Will a curious look.   
  
Will shook his head and made a cutting motion across his neck before following Jack up to his room.   
  
'It would seem that Jack is in trouble,' Sara commented.   
  
'Just let them figure it out for themselves,' Bill said and went back to his paper.   
  


_In Will's room..._

  
  
Will closed the door behind them just as Jack bounced onto his bed.   
  
'So? You gonna show me that "problem"?' he asked.   
  
'Ashley's visiting?' Will asked and leaned against the door.   
  
'Now look, I didn't mean to invite him!' Jack said defensively.   
  
'You _invited_ him?'   
  
'Er, well...not really. He sorta invited himself, but I sorta suggested that he should come out and see the East Coast. I wasn't thinking straight at the time,' Jack said, seeming to shrink back and obviously regretting whatever he did.   
  
'Apparently. I guess your judgment was a little off last night. Sammy told me all about your conversation with Ashley.'   
  
'All about...? How much is "all"?' he asked. _He can't possibly know... Sam wouldn't be stupid enough to tell him._   
  
'As in she explained in detail why she wanted a speaker phone.'   
  
'I--! I was drunk! Not just drunk, but really, really drunk. If I hadn't been drunk, I swear, I would never have had phone sex with him!'   
  
'Ugh... I should have guessed as much,' Will muttered and pinched the bridge of his nose.   
  
'Rape! That's it. It was phone rape,' Jack went on.   
  
'There's no such thing.'   
  
'He made me do it?' Jack said in a pathetic attempt to redeem himself.   
  
Will sighed and moved from the door to the bed. He sat next to Jack and put his arm around him. 'You don't have to come up with excuses. I forgive you.'   
  
'You do?'   
  
'Yes. I completely understand.' Will was enjoying the uncertain and confused look Jack was giving him.   
  
'You...do...?' _A pod person has abducted Will..._   
  
'Well, yes. I once had a girlfriend that would call me up and try to have phone sex with me. I never really saw the point, though. I mean, it didn't turn me on or anything.'   
  
'That's because you're gay.'   
  
'No, I think it was because she was sloppy and just wasn't very good at it.'   
  
'I'm good at it!' Jack proudly declared.   
  
'So I guessed,' Will said dryly.   
  
'Ring-ring,' Jack whispered into Will's ear.   
  
'No one is available to take your call,' Will replied with a smirk. 'Please leave a message after the tone.'   
  
'Beep.' Jack pushed Will back onto the bed and straddled his hips.   
  
'What do you think you're doing?!' Will tried to push Jack off him only to find his hands being held by his sides.   
  
'Leaving a message. I leave good messages,' Jack replied and leaned in to kiss Will.   
  
Will relaxed a bit, lost in the moment until Jack pulled back and started working his way down. 'My parents are downstairs!' he pointed out as Jack unbuttoned his shirt and kissed the exposed skin.   
  
'Then be quiet.'   
  


_AN II_: (Sing-song:) I tricked you! I tricked you! Lalalala!


	26. Bizarre Love Triangle

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Bizarre Love Triangle' is a New Order song. 

_Warnings for this chapter_: Naughty, naked boys fooling around. I have earned myself an R!

_AN_: Please lemme know what you think of my sad attempt at smut. ;.; Any help would be muchly appreciated!

oOo

_Dead End Angels_

_Bizarre Love Triangle_

oOo

Will lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. 'I can't believe you did that,' he said as he shook his head. 'I can't believe I _let_ you do that!' He groaned as he tried to smother himself with his pillow in a futile attempt to save him from more embarrassment.

Jack pulled his pants back on and ignored Will's mumbling. 'You might want to get dressed, luv. Don't want your parents walking in on you while in this particular state of...dress,' he said with a perverted leer.

Will threw his pillow at Jack's head, quite pleased with himself that it was a direct hit. 'This is all your fault.'

Jack grinned as he approached the bed. 'Funny. Seems to me that a lot of things are my fault. Sure you don't want to chare in the blame?' he asked then kissed Will's forehead. He turned and went to gather Will's clothing, which had been enthusiastically discarded to the other side of the room.

'You're limping,' Will observed as he watched Jack. He sat up and put his legs over the side of the bed.

Jack gave Will a careless smile as he stooped down to retrieve a pair of boxers. 'Like I said, I've had worse. Two lifetimes worth of worse now that I think of it,' he said and handed over the pile of clothes he had collected.

'Right,' Will sighed. He was about to pull on the black boxers when he noticed something. 'These are yours,' he said, pointing out the rainbow colored waistband.

'I knew I forgot something,' Jack laughed.

Will then realized his pile included two sets of boxers. _Oh, he's going commando. That's nice. That's really nice. Ack! Stop thinking like that! I'm not a perv!_

'Turns ya' on, does it?' Jack asked with a knowing smirk. 'Does this mean you're up for round two?'

'No. Besides, I'm still mad at you.'

'Could have fooled me. You make the most delectable whimpers.'

Will ignored Jack's comment and dressed himself, all the while fighting the blush that threatened to surface.

Jack wrapped his arms around Will and cooed softly into his ear. 'Aw, c'mon, Hunny-bunny. It was just phone sex. I made up for it,' he said, letting his hand trail down Will's chest and into his pants.

'Look,' Will said and removed Jack's hand from his crotch, 'I'm not mad about that. You're just stupid and horny. It's the fact that you invited _Hector_!'

Jack smiled apologetically and opened his mouth to say something.

Will held up his hand to prevent Jack from digging himself a deeper hole. 'If he's staying with you during his visit, then he is to stay out of your room. And I want you to lock your door at night. With him on the other side. Do I make myself clear?' he said, fixing Jack with affirm stare.

'Er...yeah. Am I allowed to be in the same room as him?' Jack asked jokingly, only to receive a completely serious answer.

'Only with supervision.'

Jack gawked at his boyfriend. 'You're...what!'

'I don't trust him. He almost killed me. I've no reason to trust him,' Will replied.

'Not in this lifetime! Maybe last time, but not this time. I mean, you didn't really know him back then and you haven't even met him this time around.'

'So what you're saying is that everything is different between then and now?'

'Pretty much, yes,' Jack huffed.

'So...we shouldn't be involved?' Will asked in an innocent tone.

'That's not what I meant, and you know it. There's just some things... It's really complicated. He's not gonna break us up if that's what you're afraid of.'

'Like I'd lose you to him,' Will said with a haughty grin as he placed his hands on Jack's hips.

'Possessive much?' Jack leaned closer and put his arms around Will's neck.

'But haven't I always been that way?' Will's lips brushed against Jack's as he spoke.

'You didn't show it like this. I can say that much,' Jack replied, closing his eyes.

'Maybe it's because I just decided who the "girl" is in this relationship. That might have something to do with it.'

Jack's eyes snapped open. 'Whoa. Wait a minute. I'm older!' he protested wriggled out of Will's hold.

'Yeah? Well, _I'm_ taller,' Will pointed out, drawing himself up to his full height.

'Height has nothing to do with it, you prick!'

'Neither does age.'

'I'm on top. It's tradition!' Jack insisted and crossed his arms.

'And here I thought you wanted to get laid.'

'Ier... We'll share.'

'Very well. You can have the weekdays, I'll take the weekends.'

'You're willingly giving me more days?' Jack asked in suspicion.

'Not really. Study nights don't leave much room for anything else.'

'Then _you_ should have weekdays!'

Will smirked and claimed Jack's lips. 'Then I guess I'll be studying you.'

Jack stared after Will as he left the room. _Tricky bastard. I know he got it from Bootstrap. Bastards, the whole lot of 'em._

'I'm going to shoot him, chop of his balls, and shove 'em down his throat,' he grumbled, not entirely certain whether he meant father or son.

'I heard that.'

Jack stuck his tongue out to show how much he cared.

_Monday..._

Monday morning came as did another week of school. Jack had walked to school that morning and was already planning on mooching a ride home. He yawned as he fiddled with the combination lock. Once he managed to get it open, he stared in wonder at how immaculate the inside of the locker was. He looked around, wondering if by some strange chance, someone had somehow switched lockers on him.

A hand landed on his shoulder and he jumped. He spun around and came face to face with Will.

'Will!'

'I see you noticed I cleaned out the locker,' Will commented, having noticed Jack's bewildered look from before.

'You have some major issues we need to work out,' Jack said and dumped half the contents of his backpack onto the floor of the locker. 'You didn't used to be like this.'

'And you didn't invite ex-lovers over for the weekend.'

'At least we get a three day weekend,' Jack said hopefully. 'He won't be here 'til Saturday. We get a Friday all to ourselves.'

'Yippee,' Will replied unenthusiastically.

'I have the apartment all to myself.' Jack smiled playfully and lightly trailed a finger from Will's navel to his neck.

Will shivered at the touch and did his best to shove out all the mental images that his mind kept showing of previous encounters between the two lovers so long ago. '_Maybe_ we can play a board game or watch a movie or something.'

'Maybe,' Jack agreed and rubbed his body against Will's in all the right places. 'But just remember one thing...'

'What's that?' Will asked breathlessly.

'Next time you clean my shelf, I will leave you in the middle of the hall with the biggest hard on you've ever had,' he promised. He patted Will's cheek in response to the shocked look Will gave him and left for his first class.

_Later that week..._

It was early Friday afternoon when Jack and Will stumbled into Jack's apartment. Jack had collected progress reports from all his teachers the day before, proving how much he had improved since starting school. He kept it secret until Friday morning, showing up on Will's doorstep demanding a 'gold star.'

They eventually made it to Jack's room, discarding jackets on their way. Jack pushed Will onto his bed then straddled his lap.

'Now, then,' he said between kisses, 'how's about that gold star?'

'If you keep insisting on getting stars, I'll get you a sheet of stickers,' Will replied before throwing Jack off balance and switching their positions. 'Remember, it's my reward to give and I'll give it however I damn well please.'

Jack raised his arms as Will slowly pushed his shirt over his head, leaving little kisses and nips as his mouth followed his hands' path. Inch by inch skin was exposed until two naked bodies were all that remained on Jack's unmade bed.

'So,' Jack purred as he wrapped his legs around Will's hips, 'you gonna have yer wicked way with me?'

Will silenced Jack with a long and passionate kiss, each fighting for dominance over the other. Will ground his erection into Jack's and earned himself a moan from his partner. Will grinned as he reached between them and grasped Jack's cock. He started a slow, even rhythm and kissed his way down to Jack's clavicle.

Jack clawed at Will's back and thrust into Will's hand, willing him to go faster. He growled in frustration and caught Will's eye. 'Stop takin' yer sweet time, Whelp! Get on with it!'

Will stopped altogether and smiled sweetly at Jack. He leaned forward and lightly kissed the tip of Jack's nose. 'You're so cute when you're annoyed,' Will whispered gleefully and started up an even slower pace than before.

Jack unlatched his arms from Will's neck and made to give Will some sweet torture as well, but Will was already one step ahead of him.

Will grabbed both of Jack's hands and pinned them by his head. 'Isn't it fun when roles are reversed?' he asked then started rubbing his hips against Jack's.

Between desperate moans for more friction, Jack could recall a time he pulled the exact maneuver on Will. But, unlike Will, Jack had enough initiative to get in on the action. He shifted his weight and brought a leg up and around Will's waist. He grinned as Will was forced to meet his demands with more contact.

'Don't mess with the master!' he declared triumphantly and craned his neck up to meet Will for a kiss.

'Oh, God...Jack!' Will mewled almost helplessly as Jack continued his expert ministrations.

'Let me go and it'll be even better,' Jack said coaxingly, twisting his hips for extra measure.

Will gave in and released Jack's hands. As Jack began pumping him, he found himself automatically taking Jack's erection into his own hand and repeating Jack's movements. It was not long before they both came with a cry.

Will collapsed against Jack's chest with a satisfied smile, ready to just curl up and go to sleep. Jack, it would seem, had other plans.

Jack reached behind his head and threw his pillow at the door. 'It's called "knocking," you twit!'

Ashley, who had caught the pillow, swung it by his side and grinned. 'I did. I guess you...couldn't hear me.'

Will's head snapped up and twisted his torso around to see who was there. 'Y-y-you! You're not supposed to be here 'til tomorrow!' Will screeched as he fought to get the sheet beneath him and Jack around himself in a blushing frenzy.

'Flight was cheaper,' Ashley replied from where he leaned on the doorframe. He leered at Jack and Will appreciatively. 'It's nice to see that someone's finally got you where you belong, Jack.'

'Oh, and where's that?' Jack said has he climbed over Will.

'Flat on your back, screaming for more,' he replied and tossed the pillow onto the foot of the bed.

Will managed to wrap himself in the bed sheet, but still felt naked and exposed for the whole world to see. He couldn't understand how Jack was casually rummaging his dresser drawers for clothes. _But they did go out_ he thought bitterly. 'I'm going to take a shower,' he said aloud. 'Alone,' he added pointedly when Jack smiled expectantly at him.

Jack settled on a pair of white boxers with red hearts and pulled them on as Will left the room. He noticed how careful Will was to avoid touching or even looking at Ashley. He felt a pang of guilt and decided locking the door from now on wouldn't be such a bad idea.

'So why are you here early,' Jack asked, throwing Ashley an unfriendly glare.

'Flight was cheaper,' Ashley replied, removing himself from the doorframe and coming further into the room. 'I know it seems like a lie, but it's not. And I'd thought I'd surprise you. Didn't know you had company, though.'

'Would that have stopped you?' Jack asked and crossed his arms.

Ashley pretended to think. 'No. Say, you and you're little boyfriend should make porno movies together,' he said with a perverted grin. 'You're definitely hot together.'

'Yeah, I'm sure we'd make a lot of money and promote world peace through the purity of our love,' Jack replied sarcastically.

'You never know,' Ashley said and closed the distance between them.

'I'm taken,' Jack stated coldly.

'You sure? Sure it's not just you trying to make me jealous?' Ashley asked and cupped Jack's cheek. He smiled as Jack unconsciously leaned into the touch. 'Again.'

'What we had was hormones. What Will and I have is the real thing, so give it up already.'

'But I don't want to,' Ashley said softly. 'And I don't think you want me to either.' He tipped Jack's chin and placed a possessive kiss on Jack's lips.

Jack closed his eyes and let out a soft moan.

Behind the pair stood Will, watching in shocked silence.

oOo

_AN II_: I wrote that last segment while at work. o.o;; Not exactly worksafe, but it's Saturday, so what are you gonna do? Yes...Hate me and my cliffhanger.

Over on my livejournal (psocid), I have up another PotC reincarnation fic going. Started on a whim out of boredom to get rid of plot bunny. Listed under Miniseries : Part #. Not really planing on postingit up here.


	27. What You Were

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'What You Were' is aCranberries song.

_Warnings for this chapter_: Nothing really. Stupidness.

_AN_: Wee! I'm updating! Yay!

oOo

_Dead End Angels_

_What You Were_

oOo

Jack's eyes snapped open and he pushed Ashley away. 'You can't do that anymore! I'm in a _real_ relationship now with a steady boyfriend. And I'm not going to let _you_,' Jack ranted as he jabbed Ashley in the chest with an accusing finger for emphasis, 'or anyone else screw it up. If anyone screws it up, it's gonna be me and on _my_ terms. So you can take yer grabby little two-timing hands elsewhere!'

'Can't blame me for saying "goodbye,"' Ashley said with an easy shrug, seemingly unaffected by Jack's little tirade.

Jack sighed. 'I still like you, as a _friend_, but Will doesn't like you in the least.'

'Oh? Not siding with him completely?' Ashley asked, smirking.

'It's complicated. Look, just don't be too friendly with me from now on. I'm still getting used to this "steady" thing,' Jack said in an amused tone. 'Besides, we don't want you dying any mysterious deaths by the hands of Will, do we?'

Ashley rolled his eyes and scoffed. 'Like that scrawny little wimp could take me.'

'He's pretty handy with a sword,' Jack commented.

'And you know this from experience?' Ashley asked, the innuendo ringing clear in his voice.

Jack shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Not like that, and you know it! Get your head out of the gutter,' Jack grumbled and shifted his weight to the other foot. He looked past Ashley and caught Will's eye. All remnants of the smile he had quickly vanished. 'Er...have a nice shower?' he asked weakly.

Ashley turned to see Will walk in to the room and towards him and Jack. 'Don't worry,' Ashley said. 'Doesn't seem like I'm much of a threat--he's too well trained.'

Will smiled genially at Ashley. 'You say that like it's a bad thing,' he replied then turned his gaze to Jack. 'You did very well. I'm proud of you.'

Jack cocked his head to the side and an idea hit him. 'Does this mean I get any _special treats_?' he asked.

Ashley looked at Jack in mild shock. 'Ugh! "Treats"! You're worse than a dog!'

Jack threw a glare at Ashley and said, 'Woof.'

Will pat Jack lightly on his head. 'I'll be sure to get you some biscuits later.'

'I'd prefer edible underwear.'

'I've got to get to work. If you're a good boy while I'm gone, then we'll discuss what flavor,' Will promised.

Ashley let out a laugh. 'And how would _you_ know if we don't get up to something? Jack and I are damn good liars.'

'You're the one who said it: Jack's worse than a dog. And you can tell when a dog's done something he shouldn't have,' Will explained. 'And thanks to you, I know exactly how Jack acts when he's feeling guilty.'

'Hey, I'm still here, y'know,' Jack huffed indignantly.

Ashley and Will both glanced at Jack in a way that clearly conveyed the message that they didn't care.

Will then smiled at Jack. He lifted Jack's chin and claimed his lips in a possessive kiss. 'I'll be back to check on you,' he said and left the room. The opening and closing of the front door shortly followed.

Jack stared at the empty doorway to his room open mouthed. 'You should flirt with me more often,' he said and glanced at Ashley.

Ashley grinned as he placed an arm over Jack's shoulders. 'Oh, I think I can do more than flirt.'

Jack sighed and shrugged off Ashley's arm. 'When will you understand that it's over?' he huffed and left the room. 'The TV's in the living room. I believe you know the way,' he said over his shoulder before disappearing into the bathroom.

_What the Hell? He can't actually be serious about this jerk._ Ashley shook his head in disappointment. He decided to dwell on Jack's interesting change of heart later and headed for the living room.

After an hour of soaking in the tub, Jack finally emerged clad only in smiley faced boxers. He dropped onto the couch next to Ashley. They sat together in an awkward silence for the next few minutes, watching what little public television had to offer.

'So...,' Jack said, breaking the silence, 'do you believe in reincarnation?'

Ashley gave Jack a confused look. 'Why do you ask?'

'Oh, well, it's only to be expected,' he replied nervously. 'Near death experience and all.'

Ashley shrugged and turned his attention back to the television. 'I've never given the afterlife much thought.'

Jack licked his lips and asked, 'What would you say if you and I were reincarnated pirates and I remember our past life?'

Ashley thought for a moment then grinned. 'I'd say you were a great lay.'

'What's that supposed to mean!' Jack was slightly shocked. _He can't possibly remember, can he?_

'Well, Grandma is a psychic,' he replied matter-of-factly.

'Your grandmother needs to be committed,' Jack bit out and rolled his eyes.

'Come on. She's not that bad.'

'She thinks I'm Cleopatra.'

'Which would explain the eyeliner obsession. And why you look so good in drag,' Ashley said as he rubbed Jack's shoulder soothingly, only to receive a dirty look in reply. 'Alright, so she's off sometimes.'

'Off her rocker. And it's all the time, not just sometimes.' Jack sighed and shook his head. He might as well take a chance of looking crazier than Ashley's grandmother and get it all over and done with. 'Look, I need you to remember something for me.'

Ashley smiled obligingly.

'Er, so don't go thinking I'm crazy or anything, 'cuz I have three other people that can back me up on this,' he added, as if it would help.

He nodded for Jack to continue.

Jack took a deep breath and started his little story. 'In the 1700s, we were pirates. You stole my ship and dumped me on an island. Ten years later, you kidnaped Elizabeth Swann, thinking she was Bootstrap's kid. I ran into his real son, Will, and went after you. We caught up to you at Isle de Muerta to save Liz and get back my ship, but Will decided to be stupid and fucked everything up. So you caught me, went after Will, then ditched me again. Then I came after you again, stopped you from killing Will, and we fought some. Then, uh, I killed you before you could shoot Will.'

Jack bit his lip nervously as he waited for Ashley's response.

Ashley stared at Jack as if he'd just declared the world was made of chocolate. 'Oh...kay. It sounds like you remember everything just fine yourself.'

'What I need you to remember is that um... Well, we used to be lovers, and during that time...I got you this necklace, but you never wore it. And then, ten years later...you were wearing it. I didn't ask then, so I'm asking now. Why? Why did you keep it?'

'Am I supposed to be getting this fucked sense of deja vu?' Ashley asked, half jokingly, but meaning every word.

'When you remember, just lemme know, alright?' Jack said and lifted himself off the couch. He headed to his room, hoping that telling Ashley of their past encounter would help to complete the puzzle.

Ashley wasn't sure what to think. It was as if he could recall someone telling him the same story before, but with so much more detail and not as one-sided. Like something he forgot just yesterday, but he could still remember the feeling of the thought.

oOo

_AN II_: How's that for attention to detail? (_pats Jack on the head)_ See? He's a good boy deep down.


	28. Mellow

_Disclaimer_: See chapter one. 'Mellow' is a Spacekats song.

_Warnings for this chapter_: I don't think there's any... Been sitting in my laptop for a while so there might be mold.

_AN_: Okies. This isn't exactly finished to the point I had intended, but I've been getting more mails and comments asking about my progress. So here is part 28a. It's in a good enough spot that I can just label it as 28. Yay!

oOo

_Dead End Angels_

_Mellow_

oOo

Will arrived at Jack's apartment later than he'd planned. The restaurant had thrown a small birthday party for one of its employees after closing. Will had lost track of time–partly due to the sickening feeling in his stomach caused by a certain young man sleeping on his boyfriend's couch.

Will was surprised to be greeted by a dark and silent apartment. He was certain that Jack and Ashley Would have been doing something with their unchaperoned time together. He felt a twinge of bitter jealousy laced with understanding, which only made him feel worse.

Two lifetimes in a row, Barbossa had managed to get to Jack first. He could only assume how many other lives the three had managed to cross paths before. He contemplated not remembering any other lifetimes on his way to Jack's room.

_Maybe it's just a most recent incarnation thing...but wouldn't I remember remembering in the last life?_ Will entered Jack's room and stared at Jack's sleeping figure. _Maybe we're just on our second life?_

Jack slowly came to under Will's watchful gaze. He could make out the thoughtful look on Will's face from the street light outside his window. He smiled up at Will in a slightly perverted way. 'I just had a great dream about you and lacy lingerie,' he slurred.

Will scoffed and set his coat on the foot of the bed. 'Did you piss off a gypsy or something in your last life?' he asked and slumped onto the bed.

Jack sported a momentary look of confusion before one of knowing took over. 'A pair of sisters, actually. Weren't too pleased to find out I was...interested...in 'em both. Gorgeous black hair, one had blue eyes, the other had green...fair skin. They sang a lovely duet, and I can see you don't want to hear about them.' Jack shrank back against his pillow. They were a terrific and understanding pair of sisters. After they wreaked their vengeance. 'Um... Why?'

'Ever think that our lives are so fucked up because you pissed off a gypsy and she cursed you?' Will asked conversationally.

Jack stared blankly in reply. 'Think I'd remember being cursed. Happened before.'

Will sighed and sat up an toed his shoes off. 'Don't you think it's weird that we remember our last life? What about other lives? Shouldn't we remember those, too?'

Jack sat up and wrapped his arms around Will. 'Know what I think?' he said as he placed soft kisses along the back of Will's neck. 'I think you're thinking about this too much. It just makes everything more difficult when you think about it. So don't.'

'You're probably right,' Will sighed and continued at Jack's pleased nod. 'Besides, for all I know, you were an evil highwayman that seduced me into your life of crime. I'm probably blocking it from my memory for my own sanity.'

'Oh, I dunno... I think I'd remember seducing you into a life of crime.'

Will chuckled softly and turned to Jack. 'Yeah, and you'd use it against me as blackmail. I know how your twisted mind works.'

'But you still love me,' Jack cheekily replied.

'I still love you,' Will confirmed and chastely kissed Jack.

'I told him,' Jack blurted when they broke apart.

'Told who what?'

'Ash. Past life. All that jazz.'

After a moment of silence, Will asked, 'And? What did he say?'

'He thinks we're mental. You're not uh...mad at me...are you? Only, I thought it'd help jumpstart the memories or something,' Jack admitted. 'It was a spur of the moment thing.'

Will nodded. 'Probably for the best. Save a lot of trouble in the long run. Less likely to have any potential accidents.'

'Hey!' Jack smacked Will's shoulder playfully. 'I'm still alive. Just accident prone is all.'

'I'd rather see you safe than dead. And is being open with Ashley means you're less likely to get yourself killed, then, by all means, go for it.'

'God, you're so mushy right now.' Jack laid back down and dragged Will on top of him and kissed him thoroughly.

'Mm. Sentiment is one of my strong point. Being the romantic that I am.' Will felt Jack tense and pull away. 'You okay?'

'Huh?' Jack refocused on Will and smiled reassuringly. 'Yeah. I'm fine. Still a bit sore is all. I've had worse, remember? Just don't go purposely seeking out spots to poke.'

Will looked guiltily at the scarring gash on Jack's brow. 'Maybe we should just go to sleep.'

'Now don't let my little ouchies get the better of you,' Jack cooed and cupped Will's face. 'I'm fine,' he stated, 'and I know what I can handle.'

Will sighed and allowed Jack to guide him down for another heavy kiss. He smiled amusedly when he Jack pulled back again.

'What?' Jack asked, catching Will's look.

'Just thinking.'

'Of?'

'Of how you're probably gonna pass out any second now.'

Jack opened his mouth to protest then stopped. A flash of panic flitted across his eyes.

'Jack?'

'I... What if this doesn't fix it?'

'Fix what? Oh...'

'What if I really am cursed and I'm doomed to pass out at the most inopportune moment? I had a nasty habit of getting knocked unconscious last time. Maybe it's leaking into now,' Jack muttered half to himself.

'Look, no matter what happens, I'll always be there for you. And if that means guarding over your fainted ass to keep you from being molested, then so be it.'

'You can molest me anytime. Conscious or not.' Jack thought about what Will had just said, and a cross look graced his features. 'I do not faint!'

'Yes, you do.' Will kissed the tip of Jack's nose and cuddled next to him. 'Now, go to sleep.'

Jack hugged onto Will like a big teddy bear and sighed happily. _Yeah, I'm just worrying about nothing._

oOo

_AN II_: Wooo... Yeah...I'm still alive. Hee. Almost three years now...

A big thank you to everyone that's commented on this and my other stories. To answer some questions: Yes, I am planning on finishing this and my other stories. I just really lack the ability to sit down and write at times. ...I really need to update CW... If ever there are plot holes in that, I blame not going back and reading what I wrote.


End file.
